Three In One Combo!
by Indigo Tantarian
Summary: Let's pretend every Millennium Item has a spirit. You thought Bakura had it bad, well poor Shadi has two! Watch as he tries to do his job with the help of the Ankh and Scales.
1. Rod and Tauk

Author's Note: Well, I finally got around to acting on one of my fanfic ideas. And what I strange one I picked... I know someone told me that only certain Millennium Items have spirits, but I'm going to ignore that for the sake of my plot. Because it's fun, you'll like it! In fact, I'm making a lot of stuff up here! But plenty of people do that. Caution: Beware of Rod jokes in this chapter! Yes, despite my child-friendly image, I have acquired a dirty mind! Also, this was kind of written in a hurry, and with very little information, so give me a break. Just so you know, in the American dub, the Ankh is called the Key, and the Tauk will probably be called the Necklace. And any and all information about Shadi and the Millennium Items would be GREATLY appreciated!! PLEASE drop me a review!  
/stuff/ - Shadi to Ankh/Scales  
//stuff// - Ankh to Shadi/Scales  
\\stuff\\ - Scales to Shadi/Ankh  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo  
  
  
Unknown to most people, each Millennium Item contains its own spirit. Naturally, each spirit has a different personality and relationship to its host. The Puzzle's spirit loves and protects its host. The spirit of the Ring resents and abuses its host. The Rod's spirit eventually went so far as to kick its host out of his own body. The spirit of the Eye hides and manipulates its host for its own dark purposes. And the Tauk's spirit hides as well, biding its time.  
  
But this is not their tale, although they do play a large part in it.  
  
One man was given the task of bestowing each Millennium Item upon its rightful owner. Unfortunately, he himself was given two Millennium Items. His nature was entirely neutral, and so naturally, the spirits of his tow Items exemplified two completely opposite sides of human nature.  
  
  
Although Shadi had to hold all the Millennium Items until he found the owners meant for them, he made sure to keep them separate from him at all times. Except for his own, the Ankh and the Scales. He often tried to leave one or both of them in his home when he went out, but he had very little success.  
  
The spirit of the Ankh had been a healer in Ancient Egypt. It was very kind and open about almost everything when speaking to Shadi. He was always trying to influence Shadi to do things that would help others. As ancient spirits went, he wasn't the strongest one out there. But that didn't mean he was weak, either.  
  
However, he rarely got his way. Because the other spirit couldn't allow that. The Scales' spirit, so the Ankh's spirit said, had been a judge, and an especially corrupt one at that. He was very secretive about his motives, although like the other malevolent spirits he wanted the other Millennium Items under his control. But Shadi knew this perfectly well and didn't particularly care. The spirit of the Scales constantly tried to make Shadi do harmful things. Luckily for Shadi, though, this spirit was even weaker than the one in the Ankh.  
  
Not feeling the need to think of more imaginative names, Shadi simply called his spirits Ankh and Scale. Since Scale would be very dangerous if he gained the power of the other items, Shadi enlisted Ankh to keep him from gaining power over them at any time. However, this meant that Ankh usually didn't have the strength to do much else. Each of them was constantly fighting the other for power in Shadi's mind, and Scale usually won. Normally, they didn't take complete control over Shadi's body as most of the other, stronger Items did. They just took control of parts of Shadi's mind.  
  
Shadi was a patient man. But all the squabbling in his head was really pissing him off. His plan to ignore them in the hopes that they would leave him alone didn't seem to be working. But Shadi, ever the passive one, tried not to let it bother him. He continued his lifelong task of distributing the Millennium Items to their rightful owners and seeing that the great Balance was maintained.  
  
Well, he tried anyway.  
  
  
Shadi sensed the Rod and Tauk's spirits reaching out. So. It was time to take them to their holders. He took them from their resting places and turned to leave.  
  
\\Take me with you, you weak fool\\ the Scale spirit said to him.  
  
/No/ said Shadi calmly. /One Millennium Item is quite enough for me./  
  
\\You can't get rid of me!\\ the Scale threatened.  
  
/Quiet, Scale/ Shadi replied.  
  
\\My name is NOT Scale!\\ the spirit yelled into Shadi's mind.  
  
/I really don't care/ Shadi sighed as he left his underground dwelling.  
  
  
The marketplace was fairly crowded today. With the Ankh around his neck and the Rod and Tauk in the folds of his robe, Shadi followed the strongest pull, that of the Rod. Ah, there. The one the Rod pulled him toward was a young boy with dark skin, blond hair, and violet eyes. He looked amazed, as if he had never been to the market before. Strange, this child didn't seem like one who should hold the ancient power. Shadi thought perhaps he should probe the boy's mind to make sure.  
  
"Child, come here," Shadi said softly, beckoning to the boy. The boy looked apprehensive, but he took a few steps toward Shadi. Then suddenly, Shadi felt the Scales materializing at his belt. He sighed internally as he felt the customary power struggle in his mind, then he heard himself saying, "I've got the biggest Rod you've ever seen. Do you want it?"  
  
//SCALE!// the Ankh cried in disgust.  
  
\\If you don't let me take it for myself, I'm giving it to whoever I want. This boy looks good enough. Go stick yourself in a scarab's mind.\\  
  
/I don't think that this is the right one./ Shadi interjected quietly. /Let me test him, or he may go mad./  
  
\\Oh he'll be fine. Look, he's taking it.\\  
  
After a short open-mouthed stare, and when he had seen that Shadi was in fact referring to the long Rod he held in his hand, the boy's eyes widened at the glint of gold. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand to take it. Just then, the Tauk opened its powers to Shadi for a moment. He saw a vision of a man being whipped within an inch of his life. The man seemed to have some connection with this boy. His Ankh also told him that the boy was not supposed to be here, and the man's suffering had something to do with it.  
  
The boy took the Rod and looked at it greedily. Shadi could sense the Rod's spirit preparing for a hostile takeover. However, the spirit of the Scales was not satisfied. Drawing on what Shadi had just learned, it decided to provoke the boy into a state of emotional weakness to draw his new spirit out of hiding.  
  
"Someone you care for will pay for your presence here. He shall pay in blood," he said in an ominous voice. The boy's eyes widened again. His breathing quickened and he looked around nervously. Then he turned and bolted. After a few moments, Shadi felt the Rod completely take over the boy's consciousness.  
  
/I don't think that was necessary, Scale./  
  
\\Quiet, fool. The boy's still alive. He may be a bit more psychotic, but that never hurt anyone.\\  
  
//But... His mind was almost lost! And can't you feel it? Rod just killed someone!//  
  
\\Oh stuff it. And don't tell me you picked up this moron's habit of calling us by our shapes? Pathetic. I'm sure the dead man deserved it anyway.\\  
  
//What else can I call you? You won't tell anyone your name. And the rest of us don't remember any names.//  
  
Regaining control, Shadi wrapped the Scales up in a piece of cloth and stuffed the bundle into his belt.  
  
Following the boy's path, the Tauk pulled Shadi to a house from which loud wailing emanated. Upon entering, the sight of blood met Shadi's eyes. It was everywhere. One man was ripped up, dead on the floor. Another had lash-marks from a whip all over his back, but he was still alive. The boy with violet eyes was passed out, and an older girl with long straight black hair was holding him in her arms, looking horrified. The Tauk wanted her. Shadi approached her and held it out to her. She was definitely the right one for this Item, he could feel it. Scale tried to take over, but Ankh managed to hold the other spirit back for the moment.  
  
"Take this, it is yours," Shadi said, holding the Tauk out to her.  
  
//Comfort her! Look what she's had to go through!//  
  
\\Take it back, you worthless lump! She doesn't deserve that power!\\  
  
/Quiet, both of you./ Shadi admonished them. The girl shakily reached out and took the Tauk. She looked at it, then put it on in a daze. Just then, the boy in her arms opened his eyes.  
  
"Isis?" he asked groggily. Then he sat up, looked around the room, and paled. "What happened, Isis? Who did this to Father?"  
  
Isis, the girl, could not speak. Shadi felt the boy beginning to lose his mind. In a swift motion, Scale took control.  
  
"If you wish to avenge your father," Shadi heard himself say," you must take the Pharaoh's life." Shadi then walked out before 'he' did any more damage.  
  
/What was that all about?/  
  
\\Ah, well I feel a bit sentimental toward the boy. I fel he's my special project.\\  
  
/I see. Well no more "special projects" for you. Ankh, I believe that making a person his project constitutes trying to get closer to taking that person's Millennium Item, don't you? Don't let him do it again./  
  
//*sigh* Yes Shadi, I'll try. It's hard enough right now, though.//  
  
/I know. Thank you./  
  
\\Stupid mortal... You'll pay for this. And YOU! Don't think the fact that you're one of us will save you when I take over.\\  
  
/Yes Scale, I've heard it before. No need to remind me, I have not forgotten./  
  
\\Oh, think you're smart, do you? And don't call me Scale.\\  
  
/Of course now. Now please silence yourself, Scale./  
  
//Yes, please do. And leave master Shadi alone.//  
  
/You too, Ankh. I don't care for your sucking up to me./  
  
  
Endnote: So, what'd you think? I kind of like it, but I'm really not sure. Please tell me if I should continue, and help if you can! 


	2. Puzzle and Eye

Author's Note: First of all, thank you so much for reviewing! I squeal with joy! Secondly, thanks to Onyx the Blind, who posted an episode script of the episode showing how Shadi gave Pegasus the Millennium Eye. It really helped, since I have a bad memory! I based the conversation in this chapter on it, and I'll use it in a future chapter too. I hate to say this, since it goes against much that I love and believe in, but this fic is mostly based on the dub. Ack, no! Not that! But yes, it is. I'll use English names, except for the Items. Mostly because Ankh sounds better than Key. And you were right, it is "tauk," not "torque." I fixed it. I tried to keep myself neutral about Ankh and Scale, but I'm really finding myself loving Ankh to death. So pardon my lack of impartiality. And I promise you, no more Rod jokes! Sorry about the one, but it just came to me and I thought it was fitting. The warning for this chapter is: Blood and oozy stuff! And cursing, but that's expected sometimes. So watch out! You who know what happened between Pegasus and Shadi know when THAT will come. And this is probably the longest chapter. Oh, one more thing. I'm running out of good insults for the Scales' spirit to use. If you've got any ideas, help would be appreciated!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. How very sad! I will glomp them anyway!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Shadi lay on his back, eyes closed. Some days he just didn't feel like getting up. The Puzzle was calling out, but not urgently. Someone who had a very close tie to its chosen one was nearby. But Shadi could tell that this person would be around town for a while yet. There was no need to rush, and it was far more comfortable to just lie there.  
  
\\Imbecile!! Get off your lazy ass and take the Puzzle out!\\  
  
//Shh. There's no need to hurry. And the Puzzle's spirit is scattered among its pieces. It has all the time in the world. So be nice.//  
  
\\Don't talk to me that way, you self-righteous piece of tin! He doesn't deserve all that 'nice' crap. You know he won't go off to help people any more than he'll let me take over the world. That spineless idiot...\\  
  
//Don't say such things about him! He's the kindest master either of us could ever hope for, and a far better master than you deserve.//  
  
Shadi groaned. /All right, all right. I'm going. Just please, for the love of Ra, SHUT UP!/ He reluctantly sat up and yawned. The call of the Puzzle WAS growing. Oh well. So Shadi straightened his turban, splashed a bit of water on his face, and slipped the rope with the Ankh on it around his neck. He picked up the box containing the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle.  
  
\\Don't even think about leaving me here! You know I'll just come after you!\\  
  
/I think now, Scale. Not this time./ Shadi went back, taking the Ankh off. He picked up the Scales and thrust them through the loop at the top of the Ankh. /Keep him out of trouble, Ankh./  
  
//Shadi!? Wait! Away from you, I barely have any power! I don't know if I can! Don't leave me alone with him!//  
  
/Really Ankh, have a little backbone. You're still stronger than Scale is. I'm not asking you to hold him forever, just for a short while./ With that, Shadi left.  
  
  
  
It was wonderful to be able to walk through the city streets without the constant insults and arguments being thrown back and forth in his mind. Shadi considered running out past the city limits and taking a quick nap while he had this little bit of peace and quiet, but he decided he'd better deliver the Puzzle first. So he followed the pull of the Puzzle out of the city, where he found a large group of tourists returning from the Valley of the Kings. Shadi watched them all get off the bus. Then the Puzzle gave a vague tug towards the last passenger getting off. He was an elderly man with spiky gray hair. Shadi approached him, and beckoned for him to stay behind the group for a moment.  
  
"You are... hoping to find a souvenir for... your grandson, are you not?" Shadi asked, using some powers of his own to slowly get the information he needed.  
  
"Who are you?" the man asked rather suspiciously.  
  
"Here," Shadi said, handing the Puzzle's box to the old man. "This contains the Millennium Puzzle. The one who solves it will gain great power. It would be quite a gift for your grandson."  
  
While the old man was marveling at the intricate designs on the box, Shadi slipped silently away. His work there was done. Now for that nap...  
  
//Shadi! Please, you have to come back! Scale broke free, and he's planning something with Eye!// The Ankh had suddenly appeared around his neck. It sounded very tired. Shadi sighed in defeat.  
  
/All right, I suppose I have to. And I guess you can't do anything against him?/  
  
//I could barely make it to you! I'm all out of strength now.//  
  
/Yes, yes, I'm going. Now that you're here, go ahead and recharge yourself./  
  
On his way back, Shadi ran into a young man with long silver hair. He looked sad and lost, but not in the physical sense.  
  
//Oh, this man is suffering so much. Please Shadi, help him!//  
  
The young man's hat blew off down the alley towards Shadi, who caught it. /I will advise him. But that is all. It is not my place to help or hinder anyone against fate./  
  
"Thank you," the silver-haired man said as Shadi returned his hat. He looked hopelessly lost, though he had a few maps among his belongings.  
  
/All right Ankh, I owe you. But only this once./  
  
"Stranger, heed my advice," Shadi said in his usual calm, ominous voice. "You have journeyed far, seeking to cure the ache within your soul. Take great care. Your search to heal the pains of a broken heart may only lead to greater heartache."  
  
/I think that should suffice. Not that it will help him at all./ With that, Shadi turned to leave.  
  
"Wait!" the young man called in a slightly strangled voice. "How... do you know?"  
  
"It matters not. Go home," Shadi said without turning back.  
  
As he walked through the narrow streets, Shadi could sense the man following him.  
  
/You realize what will happen if he continues to follow me, do you not? Is this what you wished?/  
  
//But... no... I never meant...//  
  
/Yet this is what it has come to. Luckily, it was his fate anyway./  
  
//Oh. So he is an Item holder? One will accept him?//  
  
/I do not know./  
  
//WHAT!?//  
  
/I merely know that he was destined to follow me and be tested. By the Eye, in fact. What will follow, I cannot say./  
  
//So... it was... MY fault? If he goes mad, I am to blame? If that happens, I do not see how I will be able to live with myself...//  
  
/Oh no, you did not cause this. It was destiny and could not have been changed./  
  
//R...really?//  
  
/Of course. It would have happened anyway. You merely helped fate along. It just so happens that in this particular instance, whether the man goes mad or is chosen, you DID indirectly cause it./  
  
Shadi heard a strangled whimper in his mind, and then Ankh was silent.  
  
/It's really none of your concern. As I said, it would have happened anyway./  
  
There was no answer. Shadi walked down the steps to his underground home.  
  
"What is this place?" he heard after a moment.  
  
"So, you chose not to heed my warning," Shadi said indifferently. In the resting place of the Millennium Items, Scale laughed darkly, though no one but the Ring spirit heard. Shadi approached the young man, looking deeply into his eyes. It made the younger man gulp and look to the side nervously.  
  
"Wh...who are you? What is this place?"  
  
"I am the guardian of the Millennium Items. Once this sacred place has been discovered, the only way to leave is to be chosen by one. It must be your destiny." Shadi walked over to the remaining Millennium Items. His hand hovered for a moment, and then he plucked the Eye from its resting place. He turned back to face the stranger.  
  
"But how could these... Millennium Items... be part of my destiny? I've never even heard of them. What does it mean?" the man with silver hair asked.  
  
"You will now be tested by the Item itself. The Millennium Eye."  
  
"The Eye itself? What do you mean, 'tested'?"  
  
The Millennium Scales disappeared from their resting place and appeared inconspicuously at Shadi's belt. Ankh gave a half-hearted struggle against the other spirit.  
  
"Each Millennium Item awaits the day when its fated holder arrives to claim it," Shadi said. Then Scale completely took over his body. "...And punishes those who are unworthy!"  
  
"Punishes...?" the man asked, transfixed by Shadi's eyes.  
  
Shadi/Scale grinned. "Now, if you pass its test, it will allow you to see more than you've ever seen before." He approached the young man.  
  
"And... If I fail its test?"  
  
The cruel grin on Shadi's face spread. "All that awaits you is an endless nightmare beyond your imagination!" With that, he grabbed the man's hair in his free hand and shoved the Millennium Eye into the helpless man's left eye socket. The young traveler screamed as his left eye was crushed and oozed out of its bloody socket.  
  
/That is NOT a good way to test a person, Scale! Ankh! Stop sulking, get out here, and help me!/  
  
//Ack! Sorry Shadi! I'll stop him!// Now that Ankh was back in contact with Shadi, it was strong enough to do something about the other spirit. With strength born of sheer determination, Ankh wrested control from Scale, holding him back so Shadi could reclaim his body. Meanwhile, the other man was gasping in pain. But he had obviously retained his sanity.  
  
"You have not descended into chaos and madness," Shadi said, fairly impressed. "You ARE the chosen one. Now your eyes will be opened to dimensions beyond the here and now. Like having a sixth sense, capable of seeing worlds and times outside our own."  
  
A white light emanated form the Eye, engulfing the stranger. Shadi could not see the other man's vision, but from what he was saying, Shadi was fairly sure it had to do with that long-lost love.  
  
"Cecelia!" he cried. There was a pause in which the man seemed like he was hanging on someone's every word. Then he answered the person who only he could see. "Cecelia, my darling, I've found you! We're reunited at last!" Obviously this man was taking his vision far too seriously.  
  
"But be warned," Shadi interjected. "Seeing is not the same as touching... feeling... being."  
  
\\Oh Ra, spare me. You spend too much time around that disgusting Ankh. Hurry up and finish with this numbskull.\\  
  
"Cecelia..." the man murmured, grasping after phantoms of his past. He looked to Shadi, obviously begging him for reassurance.  
  
"That is beyond the power of this Millennium Item," Shadi said, reading the unspoken question in the other's eyes. "Now, I suggest you follow me earlier advice and go home."  
  
The man seemed rather choked up. He merely nodded and left without another word.  
  
Shadi shook his head and sighed. He carefully wiped the blood and eye pulp on his robe. Then he took the Ankh and Scale, each in one hand. /I hope you know that you have both been extremely useless, not to mention annoying, today./ He then placed them both back in their resting places with the Ring. /Now, if you don't mind, I'm going back to my nap. I'm not doing anything significant. And the Ring's owner is nowhere near here. So please, by all the gods, just this once, LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!/ With that, he flopped back on his mat and did his best to ignore the world.  
  
//He didn't have to be so rude about it...//  
  
\\Quiet, weakling. My plans are succeeding so far, but I have more to discuss with the Ring. So butt out!\\  
  
//You realize, if the others discover that you're plotting against them and pitting them against each other for your own gain, they'll all turn on you. And you ARE the weakest.//  
  
\\Silence! You're no better, you buffoon! You just wait, you'll get what's coming to you.\\  
  
In his sleep, Shadi kicked a stray rock and it bounced off Scale hard.  
  
\\AND you. Moron...\\  
  
  
Endnote: Okay, that was pretty long. And I'm not sure if I kept everyone in character. Please review, tell me what you think, and give me some interesting insults for Scale! Thanks! 


	3. Scale and Ring

Author's Notes: You people are wonderful! Since this is my only story-fic right now, it's my favorite, so reviews for it mean the most to me. Please pardon my writer's block... I originally planned for Ankh and Scale to be like those cartoon shoulder-angels and devils, and they evolved from there. Oh, yes. First of all, Tetsiguia, thanks for the info. I would have done more with it if I could have!! Lily22, thanks for the episode script!! It'll be infinitely helpful to me later!! I've got a few ideas for things to come, but any suggestions are always welcome. And please, try to think of more insults for Scale! As you'll see, I'm running low... I thought I'd hopelessly written myself into a hole for the timeframe, but I think I'm okay now. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter, but see what you think... Beware of incoherence and inconsistencies and bad explanations and big gaping plot holes, shoddily filled! But Scale gets lots of action in this chapter (no, not that kind, you sickos!!).  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Just the characters of Ankh and Scale, really.  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Ah, the passage of time. It was a phenomenon that Shadi was quite accustomed to, having lived as long as he had.  
  
Malik, the Rod's new owner, was devising intricate plans to kill the Pharaoh.  
  
Isis, wearer of the Tauk, was busy worrying about her increasingly psychopathic brother.  
  
The old man had given the Puzzle to his grandson, Yugi. The boy had begun to put it together, but this was no easy task.  
  
Pegasus, who held the Eye in place of his own, had stayed in Egypt for a while, making hundreds of sketches from the ancient carvings of the Shadow Games. He then returned to America, where he had developed a more modern version of the Shadow Game. It was the newest craze sweeping the globe, and was actually fairly close to the original Shadow Game.  
  
Shadi had little interest in most of these people for the moment. The forces were well balanced, so why bother to pay attention to them? He was rather interested in Pegasus's game, Duel Monsters, however. He had bought a few cards of his own. They were very nicely painted.  
  
There was one thing that annoyed Shadi however, besides Ankh and Scale. Six years had passed since he had given Pegasus the Eye, and the Ring still lay in his possession. Since it wasn't his, and had no host to take over, he didn't have to listen to it unless he used Ankh's powers to enter the Item itself. But he had no intention of doing that. Just its presence was disturbing enough. And he knew that Scale was plotting with it.  
  
The past six years had been very boring. Scale had even run out of insults for a while. It had resorted to calling Shadi "Pillowhead." All had been silent for a moment. Then Ankh burst out laughing, unable to stop. Shadi chuckled a bit and informed Scale that it was an unimaginative twit. For the first, and probably last time, Scale was speechless. About two hours later, Ankh stopped laughing, except for an occasional outburst of giggles.  
  
But aside from that momentous occasion, life had been rather dull. Shadi wasn't much of a mingler, so he mostly just sat in his subterranean home or aimlessly wandered the streets. He did have occasional conversations with Ankh or Scale, although he couldn't tolerate too many talks like that.  
  
Today, Shadi was sorting his expanding collection of Duel Monsters cards. He had acquired quite a few, and more than one of many of them. Pegasus had regained his inspiration after seeing his dead love again. He had even painted a portrait of Shadi and sent a small copy to him. Ankh said it made him look mysterious. Scale said it made him look like a ninny.  
  
  
Suddenly, something happened that never had before. Shadi heard a knock at his door. Someone had picked up a rock and was banging on the stone wall of his house. Shadi was so shocked that he just sat there staring at the steps for a moment.   
  
\\Well? Go see who it is, oaf.\\  
  
//Who could it be...?//  
  
Shadi got up, laying down his cards, and walked up the stairs. A small, sleazy-looking man stood there.  
  
"Good afternoon sir," the shorter man said. "I'm from the Office of Metropolitan Egyptian Taxation. It has come to our attention that you have not paid your taxes for..." He paused to look at the paper in his hand. "... 1500 years. I'm afraid you owe quite a bit of money."  
  
Shadi blinked. "There must be some mistake. You cannot possibly believe that I have lived here for 1500 years."  
  
"Perhaps not you personally, sir," the man said greasily. "but your... ah... organization... has owned this establishment for twice that amount of time. Here is what you owe." He handed Shadi a small sheet of paper with a large number on it. Looking at it, the size of Shadi's eyes doubled.  
  
"Of course... I will be back in a moment," Shadi said. He quickly went back down the stairs and removed a brick from the back wall. Behind it was an ancient stash of gold, hidden there in case the guardian of the Items needed it. Pity those who put it there hadn't used it to pay their taxes instead... He grabbed a small handful and went back to the door.  
  
\\Don't give that crook all that gold, you clown!\\  
  
//I could have sworn the first guardian had an agreement with the Pharaoh to get all the future guardians out of things like taxes...//  
  
/Really... Interesting... Hmm... I wonder if they would accept a large set of solid gold scales.../  
  
\\Try and you'll regret it.\\  
  
"This should be enough, I believe," Shadi said, holding out the gold.  
  
The man's eyes lit up greedily. He held out his hands quickly. Shadi narrowed his eyes at him.  
  
/...Scale, come here... I need your powers./  
  
\\About damn time you let me do something, blockhead.\\ Scale materialized in Shadi's hand \\Wash your hands once in a while!\\  
  
Shadi drew back his gold-filled hand. Instead, he held up the Scales. "Tell me again, what is this money for?" A white feather appeared on one side of the Scales.  
  
"What's all this?" the small man asked suspiciously.  
  
"Answer the question," Shadi said, narrowing his eyes dangerously.  
  
/Take the next thing he says as his answer./  
  
\\Yes, 'master.' I know. SOME of us aren't as dense as you and the Ankh.\\  
  
"I told you, it's for taxes," the sleazy man said. As he spoke, a thick vapor came out of his mouth. He stared at it in horror as it floated onto the other side of the golden Scales. The side with the gray vapor immediately sank. Shadi looked up.  
  
"Your heart has been judged. It has been found wanting. Now the Dark God Anubis shall punish you."  
  
The man backed up a step. Behind him, the earth rippled. Then Anubis himself rose from the ground. The jackal-headed god of the Underworld grinned with unholy glee. He swiftly grabbed the unfortunate man's head and pushed him down through the ground to receive his punishment. Then he turned to Shadi, who had immediately dropped Scale and the gold and knelt down before the god.  
  
||WELL DONE, MY SERVANT. BUT YOU MUST SEND VICTIMS TO ME MORE OFTEN.|| Anubis's voice was like the grating of a tomb and the crunch of bones in Shadi's mind.  
  
"Yes, oh great one. I will try," Shadi murmured humbly.  
  
Anubis then followed his newest victim down to the Underworld, and the earth became solid again. Shadi breathed a sigh of relief. While he was entirely loyal, the god's presence made him nervous. He gathered up the gold, picked up Scale, and went back inside. He put the gold away again and replaced Scale near the Ring.  
  
//Are you two all right?//  
  
\\Shut up, deformed cross.\\ Scale sounded out of breath.  
  
/Yes. However, it has come to my attention that while I have plenty of gold, my supply of modern money is dwindling. I may have to sell something./  
  
\\Why don't you just sell the Ankh? It can just come right back to you. Or the Ring. Get all their money, then it'll burn them to death!\\  
  
//That wouldn't be right!//  
  
/No, I do not want an angry mob on my hands. Though Anubis might like that. Hmm... I have heard that Duel Monsters cards are in fairly high demand right now. Perhaps I can sell some of mine./  
  
  
So Shadi rented a stall in the marketplace. He managed to sell quite a few cards at first. But after a few days, business dwindled. The stalls across from his with more variety and flashy stuff were easily more popular.  
  
/What can I do to make my merchandise more attractive?/  
  
//People like gold...//  
  
\\Heh... Be glad you're not trying to sell yourself! That would be hopeless!\\  
  
//Scale!! Don't say such things!//  
  
Just then, Shadi felt the Ring reach out. It was similar to what the Puzzle had done, so it was probably only a relative of the Ring's chosen who was nearby. It seemed to be pulling towards the marketplace.  
  
/Hmm... perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone.../  
  
Shadi picked up the Ring and the remaining cards he wanted to sell, and went back to the market. He set the Ring on the counter where people could see it, and spread out some cards beside it. A few people bought cards. Even more asked about the Ring, but since it ignored them, he merely told them it was not for sale. They walked off grumbling.  
  
Then a man who looked like foreigner came up and began to carefully examine the Ring. Its energy surged out towards him, though only Shadi and the Ankh around his neck could feel it.  
  
"This is fascinating! What is it?" the man asked.  
  
"It is called the Millennium Ring. It holds a great ancient power," Shadi answered.  
  
"It looks like it came from a Pharaoh's tomb. Where did you get it?" the man sounded suspicious.  
  
"My people have guarded the Millennium Items for thousands of years. I am no tomb robber.  
  
\\As if you could be, weakling.\\ Scale had appeared at Shadi's belt.  
  
//You should probably be resting, Scale. You spent a lot of energy today.//  
  
\\Silence! Obviously, this dunce can't even sell gold. Looks like he needs some... help...\\  
  
//Leave him alone. Hey, stop that!// Ankh and Scale wrestled inside Shadi's head.  
  
"Oh, I see. I apologize. And you're selling quite a strange combination of merchandise here. This beautiful relic, and Duel Monsters cards? They have nothing to do with each other," the man said. Shadi tried to ignore Ankh and Scale.  
  
"Actually, they are very closely related. Much more than you can imagine. They were used in close conjunction with each other," Shadi explained. Then Scale beat back Ankh and took control. "Now... Let's talk prices..."  
  
Scale haggled with the man for a while. After a while, they settled on a price he was satisfied with. So Shadi/Scale handed over the Ring and a few cards, and took a large sum of money in return. The man walked away feeling rather cheated, but still very lucky. Scale retreated back to his soul room, leaving Shadi in control again.  
  
/Happy now?/  
  
Scale didn't answer.  
  
//I told him not to overexert himself...//  
  
/Perhaps this will keep him quiet for a while./  
  
\\Don't... count on it!\\  
  
Having gotten more than enough money, Shadi got his leftover cards together and left for home. He didn't notice the people watching from ahead of him in the crowd...  
  
  
Endnote: Yes, a cliffhanger! Didn't want to make this too long. So tell me how horribly I screwed this chapter up! And I still need more insults!! Thanks for reviewing! 


	4. Gold on the Scale

Author's Notes: Yay, reviews! Keep them coming!! First of all, thank you soooooo much to lily22 for giving me the script for the second part of the Shadi episode. I really appreciate it, and I'll use it in the next two chapters! And thanks to Wallace (for lack of another name) for the ideas he sent me. I like them, and may use them after Shadi finishes in Yugi's mind. Oh, and I made some fanart for this story! It's Ankh and Scale. They're at http://indigo.1afm.com/images/ankhdraw.gif and http://indigo.1afm.com/images/scaledraw.gif Ankh looks younger than he is, but that's just how he came out. He's the cutest thing I've ever drawn!! Scale came out pretty well too! So go look! Not much Scale in this chapter, but there's a good reason for that. And I'm afraid Ankh and Scale may be a bit out of character towards the end. But oh well... Enjoy! And review, PLEASE!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do, however, own Ankh and Scale... I may even make them my official muses... Heh heh...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
/This should be enough money for quite a while. And every Item is with its owner, or at least a relative of its owner. I feel that much has been accomplished today./  
  
//Oh, definitely.//  
  
Shadi ignored the crowd brushing past him. /I should buy some food. Then perhaps I'll take some of that olf gold and have it melted down./  
  
//Into what?//  
  
/I have a feeling miniature Millennium Items might be popular./  
  
//Still looking for more money?//  
  
/It never hurts. Besides, the goldsmith owes me a favor. And he's admired you ever since I met him./  
  
//Oh, I'm flattered!  
  
  
Shadi stopped to buy some food, and then he returned home. It wasn't until he glanced at the resting place of the Millennium Items and saw no glint of gold that he remembered Scale. He was going to put it away when he realized that Scale was gone.  
  
/Ankh, do you know where Scale is?/  
  
//...What? I wasn't even paying attention to him. I can't sense him anywhere!//  
  
/He can just appear back here whenever he's wreaked enough havok, I suppose.../  
  
//But he was too worn out to even insult anyone. Maybe we'd better go look for him.//  
  
/Too bad we don't have the Ring to lead us to him anymore... But you should be able to feel his soul when we get close, shouldn't you?/  
  
//Maybe... His energy was so low that I'd have to be right next to him to be sure, though.//  
  
Shadi sighed in resignation. /All right, let's go./  
  
//You don't have to sound so reluctant. He may be deranged, psychotic... strange... eccentric... um... well, I'm sure he has some redeeming qualities. He's... er... useful. Sometimes.//  
  
/Thank you Ankh, you've sufficiently lowered my level of enthusiasm. Shall we go now?  
  
Shadi walked outside and looked around. Not knowing what else to do, he retraced his steps back to the market.  
  
/Look at peoples' souls. Try to find one who recognizes me and has a suspicious feel. And if he's thinking about a set of golden Scales, that would help as well./  
  
//All right...// Now that Ankh didn't have to actively keep Scale from gaining power over the other Items, he had plenty of power to do some soul-searching through the crowd. //Hmm... I think... try over there.//  
  
So Shadi followed the pull of the Ankh. They went from one end of town to the other.  
  
/Well? Anything?/  
  
//I'm not sure, I lost the thought... Wait, over there!//  
  
/You're sure this time?/  
  
//Yes. I'm positive.//  
  
Shadi walked quickly in the direction Ankh indicated. He went back through the market, made a left, and found himself at the goldsmith's forge. There was one person waiting. Shadi walked slowly to the back of the line.  
  
//He's there. With that man. The dirty one in front of you.//  
  
/That one? How disgusting.../  
  
//Scale? Don't worry, we'll get you out of here in a minute.//  
  
\\What!? What do you mean "in a minute"!? Get over here now! Where are you going? Get that festering glob of camel spittle you call a master and get over here!! You fools! Your father was a boar!! Your mother drank from drainage ditches!!\\  
  
//He's... not very happy about the delay. He... says you should hurry.//  
  
/I imagine he said a bit more than that./  
  
Nevertheless, Shadi walked quickly back home, shoved his extra gold into a bag, and went straight back. The man who had Scale was now standing near the goldsmith, who was looking at the Millennium Scales with great interest. He obviously wanted to keep them in their current form instead of melting them down. But the dirty man shook his head, so the goldsmith shrugged. He picked up the Scales with a pair of long tongs and stuck them in the forge.  
  
\\YOU CRETIN!! GET THAT DIMWITTED SON OF A TROLLOP OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!!\\  
  
///Ah... Shadi... Scale is rather impatient...//  
  
"This isn't melting like gold should. What metal is this?" the goldsmith asked. Since gold was a very soft metal, it should have begun to melt by now. However, Millennium Items had special protection against things like melting. But that was not much comfort to Scale.  
  
Drawing strongly on the Ankh's power, Shadi took hold of the goldsmith's soul and made him act on his own wishes. The goldsmith immediately took the Scales out of the forge, dipped them in a barrel of water, giving off a cloud of steam, and set them on the stone counter to cool.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" the filthy man asked.  
  
The goldsmith looked a bit confused, but he seemed sure enough about his answer. "I don't think I can melt this. And it's such beautiful craftsmanship, why would anyone want to?"  
  
"You idiot, I can't sell this!" the thief screamed. "It's too recognizable!"  
  
Shadi moved to stand by Scale. His hand hovered for a moment to be sure he didn't burn himself. Luckily it was cool enough to hold, so Shadi picked it up.  
  
\\You imbecile... I'll make you pay...\\ Scale sounded very tired.  
  
/Later. I hope you have enough strength to take revenge on this man first./  
  
\\That lout has worse hygiene than YOU do. And he TOUCHED me. Of course I'm strong enough to banish that piece of filth.\\  
  
/All right, just be careful. I won't bother questioning him./  
  
"What are you doing with my -" the man started to say. As he spoke, the gray mist coming out of his mouth settled on one side of the Scales. A white feather had appeared on the other side. The feather's side rose as the other side sank.  
  
"What's happening?" asked the frightened goldsmith.  
  
"Hide. Now," Shadi commanded. Then he turned back to the thief. "You will pay with your soul for what you have done." There was no mercy in his voice.  
  
Mist rose from the trembling ground. The god Anubis appeared. He quickly grabbed the man's head and shoved him down through the earth.  
  
||NO MORE FOR A WHILE, MY FAITHFUL SERVANT. A GREAT MASSACRE OCCURRED RECENTLY NEARBY. I SHALL BE OCCUPIED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.|| The dark god grinned. Shadi bowed deeply as Anubis disappeared back into the ground.  
  
//That's frightening...//  
  
\\...wimp...\\ Scale gasped. Then he lapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
/He'll be all right once he's had a few days to rest./  
  
Assuring the goldsmith that nothing had happened and he should stop drinking so early in the day, Shadi walked home with his two Millennium Items.  
  
  
Almost a year passed. Nothing exciting happened. Scale recovered and was back to his usual annoying self in no time.  
  
For a while now, Shadi had felt the balance of the Millennium Items gradually slipping. He could tell it was about to severly upset the cosmic balance. The four Items here in Egypt obviously had nothing to do with this, so it must be the remaining three in Japan.   
  
/It looks like we should be getting to Japan soon.../  
  
\\I knew those losers couldn't do a simple thing like staying away from each other. Heh heh...\\  
  
//I suppose this is all going according to your "plan"?//  
  
\\Quiet! Of course it is! Are you prepared to join my, or will we have to take you by force?\\  
  
//Are you really stupid enough to think any plan you have will work?//  
  
/Stop it, both of you. I need to prepare for the transport ritual./  
  
\\Are you crazy!? You want to do that?\\  
  
//Oh no, that always makes me feel sick...//  
  
/I know, it makes me sick as well. But I shudder to think what havoc Scale would wreak on an airplane./  
  
\\Only what those idiots deserve!\\  
  
/Yes, well... Anyway, this way we will save money and avoid having to find a place to stay./  
  
\\You don't speak Japanese, you fool. How do you expect anyone there to understand you!?\\  
  
/Scale, you really are slipping. If you would pay attention once in a while, you would know that I can use Ankh to make our souls understand one another./  
  
//Yes, please remember that SOME of us have more than one talent.//  
  
\\Oh, so now you think you're special, do you? All your so-called "talents" are the same. You just manipulate souls, who cares about that? You couldn't hurt a gnat unless you fell on it!\\  
  
//Why would I WANT to!?//  
  
\\PACIFIST!!\\  
  
//SADIST!!//  
  
/STOP! Both of you be quiet. It's not easy to prepare this ritual. I need to concentrate. So shut your mouths./  
  
\\We're gold OBJECTS. We don't HAVE mouths.\\  
  
/Don't try to be smart, you know you'll only fail./  
  
  
Endnote: Well, what'd you think? I still need ideas for insults. And tell me how you like their pictures, too. And the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post new chapters. Really you guys, get a move on! 


	5. The Pharaoh

Author's Notes: First of all, I'm posting this against my better judgement. I really want more than three reviews before I put another chapter up. But I had it typed already and I got impatient. So consider this a Halloween present. But listen guys, I'd better get lots of reviews! As I mentioned before, lily22 rules infinitely for giving me the script for this, since my powers of recording leave much to be desired... As usual, I'll modify what people say. Because some of the lines were pretty dumb, as Scale will point out. I'll also split this into two chapters since it's a long sequence. So for the next two chapters there will be a lot less of Ankh and Scale and more of Shadi, but there's a good reason for that, which Ankh will mention. This chapter's a bit boring, but the next few will be really good! Enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters in it. I do, however, own Ankh and Scale, both of whom I've grown quite attached to.  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
/All right, the ritual is ready. I sense that someone has stolen Pegasus's Millennium Eye. I can't tell who it was, but I don't think they have gone mad. I must find out what happened, and perhaps punish the thief./  
  
\\Finally, the half-wit's doing something interesting...\\  
  
/Yes, I was just getting to that, Scale. Obviously you must both come with me. Which means you will both have to behave for once. Scale, you will stay QUIETLY hidden under my robe until I need you. Ankh, you will hang around my neck SILENTLY. Neither of you will take control. Understand?/  
  
//Of course, Shadi.//  
  
\\Don't count on it! I'll take control if I want to, mold for brains! And why do I always have to go in your robe? I'll end up with as many fleas living on me as there are on you!\\  
  
/Then you will continue to have none. And you're far too large and cumbersome for me to wear around my neck, Scale. But I believe you misunderstood me. I wasn't asking you to keep yourselves under control. I want you to keep EACH OTHER from misbehaving. Ankh, you'll make sure Scale doesn't cause any trouble, won't you?/  
  
//Gladly!//  
  
/And Scale, you won't let Ankh get away with anything?/  
  
\\That weakling? As if he could! I'll keep an eye on the loser.\\  
  
Shadi smiled to himself. Pitting Scale against Ankh was the only way to keep him occupied and under control. /Good. See that you do. Now let's go./ Shadi tucked Scale in his robe. Concentrating hard, he called on Ankh and Scale to give him extra strength. Then, using the powers he drew from Anubis, he sank into the ground. The earth rippled as he passed through it, and solidified after him.  
  
  
Honing in on the strongest Millennium Item, Shadi brought himself back out of the earth into a huge castle, right in the middle of a staircase. He kept his eyes closed, because if he got distracted, he might end up half in and half out of the stone steps.  
  
A boy's voice from the top of the steps gasped. "What's going on?"  
  
Shadi took note of this, but kept rising.  
  
"He has a Millennium Item too!" the boy exclaimed. Shadi's feet settled on a step. He opened his eyes to look at the boy.  
  
"Huh?' Shadi said without thinking, seeing the young boy wearing the completed Millennium Puzzle around his neck.  
  
\\Oh THAT was intelligent...\\  
  
/Quiet. Hmm... I'm not sure who took Pegasus's Millennium Eye and upset the cosmic balance, but perhaps I should begin my search here./ He began to ascend the steps towards the frightened boy. /Through the centuries, those who possess one Millennium Item have often come to covet them all. You can relate to that, Scale.../  
  
"No, stay back!" the boy cried, taking a step back.  
  
Shadi grabbed the Ankh by its round top. /Ready?/  
  
//Yes!//  
  
/I sense that the thief hides somewhere within these castle walls./ He pointed the Ankh at the boy's head. /I'll begin my investigation with this boy./  
  
The boy looked even more apprehensive. "W - what are you doing?" he asked, backing up another step. Shadi moved closer, pressing the tip of the Ankh against the boy's forehead.  
  
/I'll find out if he has the Eye. I don't feel it anywhere, so it must have completely expended its strength./ Shadi's eyes narrowed. The boy stood frozen in place, looking up at the golden Item. /Now, Ankh./  
  
Ankh used his power to put Shadi into the boy's mind. Shadi found himself walking down a dim corridor. The left wall was made of blue-violet bricks. The right wall was dark, with root-like patterns on it. After a moment, he came upon two doors on opposite sides of the hall. The door on the left was open. It was well lit, and there was an orange carpet on the floor. There were toys scattered all over the carpet. The door on the right was shut. It was dark gray, with the Eye of Horus on it.  
  
/I suppose my mind would be like this if I could get rid of one of you parasites.../  
  
//You wouldn't...//  
  
\\You can't, you buffoon!\\  
  
/Yes, I know, unfortunately... Hmm... One is a room of pure innocence, devoid of malice./  
  
\\Great, another wimp like the Ankh...\\  
  
Shadi ignored Scale. /This soul could not possibly belong to the criminal who stole the Eye. But in the other chamber.../  
  
The gray door on the other side of the corridor swung slowly open.  
  
/I detect another presence, and this soul is much more mysterious. Not... evil, exactly... But definitely suspicious./  
  
As the door opened wider, Shadi saw a figure in the depths of the room. It looked like the boy whose mind he was in, only taller and more confident. His eyes were slanted and some of his golden bangs stood up against his black and red hair. This other presence stared at him.  
  
"You may enter my chamber if that is what you desire," the person said. It was obviously the spirit of the Puzzle. But he didn't seem quite the same as the arrogant Pharaoh who had once ruled over all of Egypt. "But I warn you, tread cautiously: I will allow no harm to come to the boy whose body I share." Shadi frowned slightly. Such a strong spirit being so defensive of a mortal was odd. But if the spirit considered this intrusion a threat, why did he invite him in?  
  
The spirit smiled slightly as if he was aware of Shadi's apprehension. "Your presence intrigues me."  
  
Shadi walked into the room. /I've ventured into many peoples' minds, but I've never entered a chamber so dank and mysterious./ He looked around. It was hard to see through the dark shrouding the room. But there were some hieroglyphics and other adornments on the walls. /How appropriate... This feels like the tomb of an ancient Pharaoh./  
  
The pharaoh's spirit continued to smile, but his voice gained a rather threatening edge. "I don't know how you entered my mind. But before you trespass further, I demand an explanation for your intrusion."  
  
"Mmm..." Shadi considered for a short moment before he spoke. "I seek a criminal who has stolen the power of a Millennium Item. It has been three thousand years since these Items were created. Their magical energies were trapped inside of them by a brave pharaoh..." Shadi looked at him, but this didn't seem to jog his memory. "Combined, these seven Items possess enough power to conquer the world. Many men have attempted to gather these Items for themselves."  
  
"Hmm..." The spirit took all this in, encouraging Shadi to continue.  
  
"It is my heritage to guard the Millennium Items, and my duty to punish the thief who stole Pegasus' Millennium Eye."  
  
"And you accuse ME of being that thief?" the spirit sounded like it was ridiculous to think such a thing.  
  
"You have already taken refuge in the body of another. That does not bode well. And the Items tend to seek each other out. But if you are not the criminal, then you have nothing to fear from my search."  
  
The Pharaoh laughed lightly. "Guilty until proven innocent. An ancient concept for this modern age. However, I have nothing to hide. I'm not your criminal."  
  
Shadi frowned slightly. The pharaoh still had his kingly attitude. "Then grant me passage to your unconscious mind."  
  
"Fine. I'll open the doors for you," the pharaoh said. His smile was friendly, but also rather insidious. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The room was illuminated to reveal a much larger area than Shadi would have expected. It was full of staircases and landings going in all directions, leading to various doors, platforms, or nothing at all. The spirit was still smiling. "You may search to your heart's content."  
  
Shadi looked around, then looked at the spirit. /Never have I seen such complexity as in this one's mind. What an extraordinary person.../ He heard a barely audible snicker from Scale.  
  
"And now, I will leave you to your exploration," the pharaoh's spirit said. Then he vanished, leaving Shadi alone.  
  
/Well, at least you two had the sense to keep quiet./  
  
//Shadi, that was the PHARAOH! We knew him in Egypt, and we know what he can do!//  
  
\\We're not as stupid as YOU are, you imbecile. If he gets mad and traps you here forever, it's your own fault!\\  
  
/Ankh can always bring me out if anything happens. Can't you...?/  
  
//Normally I could. But the Pharaoh's a lot stronger than I am, even if I borrowed power from you and Scale. If he wants to keep us in, he will.//  
  
/I see... I'll watch my step, then./  
  
\\You incompetent fool... We're stuck here forever now!\\  
  
  
Endnote: Oh, don't think you know what's going to happen next! I think I just may twist the plot to fit my own dark purposes! MWAHAHAHAHA!!! And I'm not sure what to do after the whole mess with the Eye is finished, so if you've got any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I will not continue until I get a good number of reviews, so if you want to see more, you'd better get reviewing! Or I'll set Scale on you. And he won't be nice! 


	6. The Innocent

Author's Notes: One last time, thanks to lily22 for typing out the script for this. And as you know, I won't stick to it. But it made a great guide to follow. Scale's really mean in this chapter, but if that surprises you, you haven't been reading this, have you? Pay attention, you slacker! Oh, and by the way...  
Scale: If any of you fools doesn't review, I'll send you to Anubis! If he'll even take losers like you!!  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. But Ankh and Scale are MINE!! And when I get some money after Christmas, I shall own a set of badly-subtitled DVDs! Mwahahahaha...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Inside the mind of the spirit of the Pharaoh, Shadi walked up one of the many staircases. /There are mysteries within mysteries here. So I should probe each chamber for the truth./  
  
\\Will you quit it with all that "mysterious" crap? What a loser...\\  
  
/What? Oh... I suppose this place has had a strange effect on me. I very much hope it's only temporary./  
  
\\Oh, it'd BETTER be. Because if it's not, you'll be sorry!\\  
  
Shadi came upon a large iron door. /I may as well start here./ He opened the door, but before he could step in, a huge block of stone dropped down right in front of him. It fell so hard that the shockwaves sent Shadi flying backwards.  
  
//Ow!//  
  
\\Argh! Watch where you're landing, you clumsy oaf!\\  
  
Shadi groaned. /A trap... Despite his cooperation, something in the Pharaoh's mind conspires to keep me from the truth. So many doors, most of them false entries, all designed to keep me from the proper path. But no matter how he tries to confuse and disorient me, I will find the true way. Ankh, come on. Do your part. Show me the way./  
  
//...Sorry. I'm just as confused as you are. But... here, this door. I'm sure the truth is in here.//  
  
Shadi opened the door and paused for a moment. All the doors and traps were really starting to annoy him. /It appears safe enough... Still, I'd better be careful./  
  
\\You'd better! I'll bet there's something nasty waiting for you!\\  
  
/Be quiet Scale. Don't be so pessimistic./ Shadi took a couple of steps into the room. /There doesn't appear to be -- / At his third step, the floor's mortar crumbled. The tiles fell, disappearing into the black pit below. Shadi yelled in surprise and was barely able to grab the edge of the remaining floor. Luckily, it stayed in place. He was looking down into the pitch black abyss, unable to bring his eyes away from his impending doom. /I've never seen mental defenses this strong! If I fall now, I'll be trapped in this cryptic mind forever. This could be the end of me!/  
  
\\You IDIOT!! I TOLD you so! This is all your fault!!\\  
  
Shadi might have been able to pull himself up again, but he found his morbid fascination with the darkness below him kept him frozen in place. He wasn't exactly afraid of heights, but anyone completely unafraid in a situation like this would have to be either insane or very stupid. The spirit of the Ankh was so frightened that the Ankh itself was shaking. Scale had a definite nervous edge to his voice when he screamed at Shadi.  
  
Suddenly a voice came from above him. "I don't know why the spirit of my Puzzle is doing this to you, but I can't let him hurt you." It was the small boy who shared his mind with the Pharaoh. He grabbed Shadi's wrist.  
  
Shadi was finally able to drag his gaze away from the darkness. /It's the boy! The one with the room of innocence./  
  
"Let me help you up," the boy said. Shadi blinked. He suddenly realized how small the boy was. Under normal circumstances, this boy would never be able to pull him up. But in his own mind, the boy was as strong as he needed to be.   
  
A minute later, Shadi and the boy were sitting beside the hole. "I'm Yugi. You're trying to find out who took Pegasus's Millennium Eye, right?"  
  
"I seek only the truth, but it's strange. My way is blocked," Shadi replied, hoping to get some explanation from him.  
  
Yugi stood and frowned up at the hieroglyphics on the wall. "It's strange all right, but I don't think the spirit of the Puzzle is doing this on purpose. I get the feeling that there are some memories hidden even from him. I sure wish I knew what they were..."  
  
\\What an ignorant dope...\\  
  
"What?" Yugi asked, turning back to Shadi in surprise.  
  
Shadi flinched slightly. He'd forgotten that one person's Items could be heard clearly when they were in another's mind.  
  
"Forgive me. We are not all graced with polite spirits..." /What happened to your silence before the Pharaoh?/  
  
\\This shrimp's not him. Unless the little sissy decides to go running to his spirit, why should I care?\\  
  
Yugi's cheeks reddened. "I won't," he said in a quiet but defensive voice.  
  
/That's ENOUGH, Scale./ "I'm very sorry. Hopefully he's finished now," Shadi said apologetically.  
  
//I'll keep him quiet. Please don't listen to him little one, he only says things like that to upset you. Pay him no mind.//  
  
That really surprised Yugi. "What? Who was that?"  
  
"That was the Ankh's spirit. The rude one was the Scales," Shadi said, lifting a fold of his robe to reveal part of the Scales.  
  
"You've got TWO Items!?" Yugi's eyes widened an insane amount.  
  
"Unfortunately, yes. Next time you have problems with your spirit, remember you could be stuck with two."  
  
Yugi smiled. "Right." He took a step forward, and the door in front of him opened before he touched it. Light poured out of the door. Shadi quickly got to his feet.  
  
"The door, it opens for you, as if seeking to answer your wish. This spirit has great trust in you," Shadi said thoughtfully. He followed Yugi through the door. They came to a large room lined with huge stone tablets engraved with pictures of Duel Monsters.  
  
"What is all this? What are these... Stone tablets?" Yugi asked. Scale snickered and muttered something that Ankh muffled.  
  
"Three thousand years ago, Egyptian Pharaohs played a game of great and terrible power. These Shadow Games were played with real magic and real creatures. These games threatened to destroy the entire world after a time. But... a pharaoh locked the magic away, sealing the monsters in stone tablets. I sense that Shadow Magic in this place," Shadi explained.  
  
//Shadi, I feel something happening.//  
  
Yugi wasn't paying attention. He was looking at the tablets. "They look just like the monsters on the cards we play with today..."  
  
Suddenly, lightning flashed. Shadi and Yugi shielded their eyes against the light.  
  
"Look out," Shadi cautioned. The Dark Magician appeared from the tablet he had been on.  
  
"The Dark Magician!" Yugi exclaimed, amazed. The Dark Magician pointed his staff at them.  
  
Shadi was again starting to fear for his life. "He's another defense against intruders. He intends to destroy us both." Ankh's fear was getting to him again, making his own twice as bad.  
  
"No!" Yugi exclaimed.  
  
"Unless we can stop him, we will never leave this chamber," Shadi said.  
  
\\Oh for the love of Osiris... Look down, moron.\\  
  
Shadi looked down to see the image of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the floor. "Hmm... If that tablet released the essence of the Dark Magician, then this one must contain the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, his ancient rival. I can use the power of the Ankh to call him forth and obliterate the Magician." Shadi and the dragon's image began to glow matching blue.  
  
"No, stop!" Yugi cried, breaking Shadi and Ankh's concentration.  
  
"Why should I?" Shadi asked, rather annoyed.  
  
"Because! He'd never hurt me!" Yugi said. He ran up to the violet mage. "Dark Magician, we're not intruders. Don't you recognize me? Stand aside and let us leave in peace. We will not reveal the hidden secrets. You know me. You trust me, don't you?"  
  
The Dark Magician looked slightly hurt. He lowered his staff apologetically.  
  
/What's this?/  
  
\\What did you expect, crocodile face? He's the Pharaoh's little pet. His chosen one. Oh damn, this "mysteriousness" is starting to affect me too...\\  
  
The Dark Magician disappeared. Shadi and Yugi were blinded by a bright light as a force far greater than Ankh yanked them out of the labyrinth-like mind.  
  
  
Back out in Pegasus's castle, Shadi took the Ankh away from Yugi's forehead. "I apologize for my rude intrusion into your mind. And for Scale's behavior." He turned to leave. "In my search for a thief, I instead found the most worthy, one fated to unlock all the ancient powers. The theft of the Millennium Eye was but the first sign that once again, chaos threatens to envelop the unsuspecting world, and the one who holds the Millennium Puzzle has the best chance at saving it." He began to descend the staircase.  
  
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked. "Is there anything else you can tell me about this?"  
  
Shadi paused.  
  
//Warn him. He's a very good person and he'll be in danger soon. He needs to be prepared.//  
  
"Be on your guard, for the one who stole Pegasus's Millennium Eye will most likely come seeking your Puzzle," Shadi said.  
  
"That's almost too scary to think about... But if someone like you is so worried about this, then how do expect me to be able to do anything about it?"  
  
Shadi continued down the stairs. The boy would have to learn to handle his own fate. He couldn't come to rely too much on the help of others.  
  
"Wait, don't go! I've still got a lot to ask you! I don't even know your name!" Yugi called after him. He really wanted to understand what was going on.  
  
//Shadi --//  
  
/No. He has to do it on his own./ "My name is Shadi. We may meet again..." Shadi said. At the base of the staircase, Shadi turned a corner and used Ankh's power to give Yugi a deep desire to get back to his friends.  
  
/Do you feel anything, Ankh?/  
  
//The Ring's here. And I think I'm starting to feel the Eye with it.//  
  
/Just point me in the right direction./  
  
\\I doubt he could, he doesn't have the Ring's power...\\  
  
//Oh shut up, Scale. You know, if the Ring and the Eye start talking, they may realize that you're trying to use all of them. You're no match for one of them, much less both.//  
  
\\Oh we'll see. THEN you'll be sorry!\\  
  
/I should just throw you away and get a recording that spouts off empty threats like that. It would be about as effective. And almost as useful./  
  
\\You just wait...\\  
  
  
Endnote: Okay, so I lied about changing the plot... I just thought I'd try to make it more suspenseful. Anyway, it's on to Ryou's mind after this, and let me tell you, THAT will be fun. It's where the real action is. I want to do something with Malik, but I'm not sure I can write for him and his Yami... As always, any ideas or suggestions are welcome. And as usual, anyone who does not review will be sent to Anubis... 


	7. The King's Property

Author's Notes: At first I couldn't think of what the Eye's spirit should look like. But then it hit me: Valmont! This chapter's title comes form the fact that Bakura calls Ryou "king's property," implying that he is a king. A question for you: Does Shadi ever appear again after looking in Yugi's mind? I want to do something with Malik, and maybe Isis too, but I'm not quite sure what. I don't know them very well... I came up with a way to temporarily end this, so I'll be able to do more if I think of something, but I wouldn't have to. But don't worry, it won't be for a while! I'll try to keep updating on Mondays and Thursdays until then. Oh, by the way, you guys who reviewed RULE! I love you! ^_^  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. But I own Ankh and Scale, and you can't have them!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Shadi walked calmly through the huge castle. Ankh was leading him to the Eye. It had apparently gained some strength since his arrival, and now Ankh could feel its presence weakly right by the Ring. Shadi let Ankh lead him to another part of the castle. After walking for a while, Shadi came upon a boy with rumpled white hair and large brown eyes. He looked rather disoriented. The Millennium Ring hung around his neck and there was something round in his pocket. Shadi paused for a moment before approaching the boy.  
  
The white-haired boy blinked in surprise at the stranger walking towards him. Shadi picked the Ankh up and pointed it towards the boy's head. This made the boy panic. "W...what are you doing? Who are you?" the boy asked, backing up a step.  
  
//Just seeing me makes his soul tremble with fear...//  
  
\\Or maybe he's laughing at how pathetic you are.\\  
  
Shadi had to back the boy against a wall to get close enough to put the Ankh to his forehead. /Quickly, before he runs away./ Shadi turned the Ankh like a key and entered the boy's mind.  
  
As in Yugi's mind, Shadi found himself in a corridor with a door on each side. But in this mind, both were closed. The one on the left was pale blue with a few marks on it as if it had taken a few hard beatings.  
  
/This one is kind and innocent, despite some rough treatment. But the other.../ The door across the hall was dark gray with purple flecks. The image of the Eye of Horus was scratched on the door, probably with a knife.  
  
Down at the far end of the corridor, another door was slowly appearing. It had been too faint to notice at first. It was dark gray with a gold sheen to it. The Eye of Horus was etched on it, not as nicely as the Pharaoh's door, but not as crudely as on the other dark door in this mind.  
  
/That must be the Eye. But I suspect the one through this door, the Ring, took it./ So Shadi walked over to the door on the right. He raised his hand and was about to knock when he suddenly heard a muffled squeak, and the door behind him flew open. He paused and turned around.  
  
The frightened brown-eyed boy stood in the other doorway. "P - please," he stammered softly. "Don't bother him..."  
  
"One of you has stolen the Millennium Eye. I suspect it was him. I must punish him, or at least make sure the cosmic balance will be kept," Shadi said.  
  
There was a crash and a loud string of curses from the dark room housing the Ring spirit. Shadi was a bit startled, but the boy jumped almost a meter and gave a huge shiver. He gulped. "C - come into my room before he comes out. I'm sure he knows you're here, but it's better to stay out of his way..."  
  
Shadi frowned slightly, but he followed the boy in, while Ankh muffled Scale's derogatory comments.  
  
  
The boy's soul room was pale blue all over. There were a few toys and books neatly on shelves. There was a huge overstuffed love seat in the corner with a rumpled blanket on it. There were some pictures on the walls, including a large portrait of the Change of Heart, a magic card. The carpet was blue, except for a few stains on it that looked suspiciously like blood. The ceiling looked like the same pure blue as the walls, but upon closer inspection, Shadi could see faint clouds all over it. Shadi could tell from this that although the boy put up a content image for people to see, he had many hidden troubles.  
  
The boy carefully closed the door behind him. "My name is Ryou Bakura; you can call me Ryou."  
  
"I am the guardian of the Millennium Items. I was called here to investigate the theft of Pegasus's Millennium Eye," Shadi began.  
  
\\You fool, the Ring was a tomb robber in ancient times. He's always been a thief. Don't even bother with this wimp.\\  
  
//Argh! Scale, can't you be nice even once!//  
  
The boy's eyes had widened in surprise. "Who was that?"  
  
"Pardon my Millennium Items. The rude one was the Scales," Shadi said, showing Scale to him, "and the other was the Ankh."  
  
"Oh," Ryou said, looking fairly incredulous. "Um... I didn't mean to be inhospitable. They can come out if they want to."  
  
//Really? Thank you, that's very kind of you. It's been quite a while since I came out. Shadi, you don't mind, do you?//  
  
/...I suppose not. Do what you like. Scale, I don't suppose you'd like to join us as well?/  
  
\\I already have to share a mind with two losers. I have no interest in sharing space with another.\\  
  
Ryou looked hurt. The Ankh glowed and swung in a circular motion. Then Ankh appeared beside Shadi. He was about the same height was Shadi, but the similarities ended there. He had long straight light green hair and narrow but friendly green eyes. He had a green hat with the Eye of Horus at his forehead and a golden cobra embroidered on it. He wore a light green cape over a greenish yellow robe. The Millennium Ankh hung around his neck. He smiled at Ryou. "Don't listen to Scale, he says things like that all the time. Thank you very much for inviting me here. I don't remember my past name, but you can call me Ankh."  
  
"Th - thank you. And um... you're welcome," Ryou said. Then he turned back to Shadi. "Mou hitori no boku blocked me out for a while, but I know he did take Pegasus's Millennium Eye."  
  
Shadi blinked. "What did you say? Who, or what, blocked you?" He looked at Ankh in confusion.  
  
Ankh frowned, thinking. "The other... you? You mean the spirit of the Ring?"  
  
"Ah," Shadi said. "He looks just like you, then? I see. I suppose that's one way to think of it."  
  
"I was wondering... why doesn't Ankh look like you?" Ryou asked tentatively.  
  
Ankh laughed softly. "We all look basically the way we did in ancient Egypt. Some of the better matches look just like their hosts because you're actually descendents of them."  
  
Ryou gulped. "The... better matches?"  
  
"Well, most of them," Ankh said. "I'm not sure what happened with Shadi and Scale."  
  
"He looks almost exactly like me..." Shadi muttered.  
  
\\...To my utter disgust...\\ Scale muttered. Ankh stifled his laughter. Ryou smiled.  
  
"I see what you mean, I guess," Ryou said.  
  
"Yes, well... getting back to the subject, I need to speak to the spirit of the Ring about taking the Eye," Shadi said.  
  
Ryou, who had begun to relax, paled. "You... don't want to do that..."  
  
"I'm afraid I have no choice," Shadi said, frowning.  
  
Just then, a door slammed outside. Three sets of eyes flew to the door. Two sets of footsteps approached. Ryou made a mad dash for the door, but he slipped and fell. As he scrambled back to his feet, the door banged open. Someone who looked like Ryou, but with narrow eyes and hair that stood up a bit more stood in the doorway smirking. Ryou whimpered almost inaudibly and backed up a step. Ankh, feeling his fear, put a protective hand on his shoulder. Shadi narrowed his eyes. This had to be the Ring's spirit. But he wasn't alone.  
  
Another spirit stood behind the Ring's spirit. This one was a tall man with one narrow blue eye, and one golden Millennium Eye. He had long gray hair pulled back in a ponytail, with two thick clumps of bangs sticking out, framing his face. He wore a green suit with a yellow tie and black shoes. He looked rather tired. Shadi knew that this must be the spirit of the Eye.  
  
"Well, well..." the Ring spirit said, walking in and circling around the group. "Who has invaded the king's property? Shadi and the Ankh, I see? And the Scales as well, of course. A bit crowded in here, isn't it?"  
  
Shadi frowned at him. "You have stolen Pegasus's Millennium Eye."  
  
"Yes, I noticed that as well," the white-haired spirit said with a cruel grin. "His host would have stopped using him anyway, having failed to achieve his idiotic goal. And I don't believe there's a thing you can do about it."  
  
"Don't even bother," the Eye's spirit said. His voice was similar to Pegasus's, although Shadi could tell that it was only because he had lived in the man's mind for so long. "We had an agreement. I didn't want to stay with that lovesick worm."  
  
Shadi was getting mad. "You purposefully upset your own balance!?"  
  
The Ring and Eye spirits smiled maliciously.  
  
"This is unforgivable," Shadi said. "I will have to judge you now." He pulled out the Scales and held them in front of himself.  
  
"Perfect." The Ring spirit grinned.  
  
  
Endnote:   
Ankh: *compels you to review, even if you weren't planning on it!*  
Scale: If you don't review, I'll send your soul to Anubis, foolish mortal! 


	8. The Thief

Author's Notes: Wow, I can't believe this already beat my huge Slayers epic in terms of reviews! I'm not sure how I feel about that... Any Slayers fans out there, go read Ramblings of the Doomed! Anyway... Here's where all the excitement, action, violence, and danger is! Scale's not as insulting as he usually is, but there's a very good reason for that, as you will soon see. Let me know if anybody gets too out of character, though. Seena and anyone else who doesn't know what Valmont looks like, here's a picture: http://www.dragonfare.com/AL/shows/Images/valmont.jpg Bakura calls Ryou "king's property" in the Japanese version. He also calls him "woman" in some fanfics, but I'm not sure about the actual series. I'll use it anyway though. I came up with an interesting idea for Malik... Let's see if I can write him! Anyone who knows anything about him or Isis, please tell me about their personalities! Thanks so much for all the reviews! Keep them coming! You people rule beyond belief!  
Scale: Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Thank Ra for that! I can't imagine what that loser would do with it...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
"Bakura, no!" Ryou said quickly, stepping forward. His white-haired spirit snarled and backhanded him in the face, making him stagger back, where Ankh caught him.  
  
"Listen, that was uncalled for! You can't just treat your host like and unwanted object!" Ankh protested, glaring at the other spirit.  
  
"Shut up, you women," Bakura, the Ring's spirit, said. Then he turned back towards Shadi. Ah, the Scales. You know, the Eye and I were just talking about you. Why don't you come out and join us?" Since this was practically his own mind, he used his powers to draw Scale out of his Item and into the room.  
  
Scale appeared between Shadi and Bakura. He was an inch or two taller than Shadi. He wore a blood-red turban and cape over a black robe. Thin bits of black hair stuck out of his turban. His complexion was as dark as Shadi's and he wore the same earrings. His eyes were slanted, but they were the same smoky blue as Shadi's. He held his Scales in his hand, and looked nervous and very unhappy at being physically here.   
  
Bakura walked slowly around Scale. "Now, apparently you would like us to overpower the others and take over the world... A worthy goal..."  
  
The Eye's spirit, looking slightly less tired, now approached him. "Then you planned to borrow strength from... one of us... and send each of the others ro Anubis. But it seems after that, our stories don't quite match up." He also began to circle Scale like a shark preparing to attack. Scale had begun to sweat.  
  
"You see, the Eye seems to think that you promised HIM half of the world," Bakura said, speaking behind Scale. "But that obviously can't be true, because you promised me the same thing. So, would you like to tell us which statement to believe?" Both spirits came to stand in front of Scale. Scale gulped. He looked over his left shoulder at Ankh.  
  
"I told you this would happen, Scale," Ankh said, frowning at him. Scale looked over his right shoulder at Shadi. Shadi merely shook his head. There wasn't much he could do against two strong spirits.  
  
Bakura grinned maliciously. "I don't see how you thought you could trick us, you weakling." Scale growled and narrowed his eyes. "But to be fair, we won't rip you to shreds just yet. I propose a Shadow Game. We merely pit our Items against each other, and the stronger one wins."  
  
The Eye's spirit spoke up. "I'll be your opponent, just to make it fair. Although even if I were too weak to stand, I could still beat you." He smirked.  
  
Scale glared at him. "We'll see about that," he said. His voice was vaguely like Shadi's but deeper and rougher.  
  
The spirit of the Eye chuckled and stepped up to Scale. The Millennium Eye in his left socket began to glow red. Scale jumped back a step and thrust the Millennium Scales out in front of him. The Scales began to emanate a dark aura, seeming to glow black.  
  
Shadi frowned. He approached the Eye. "That's quite enough. There's no need for this."  
  
Bakura walked over and shoved Shadi down. "Don't interfere, mortal!" he sneered.  
  
Beams of red and black light shot from the symbol of the Eye on both Items. Scale staggered back. He obviously wasn't up to the strength of even the weakened Eye. Bakura smirked while Ankh, Ryou, and Shadi looked on in horror as Scale's strength was steadily diminished. Shadi cursed silently. The Millennium Scales were not a safe Item to be in the control of such malevolent spirits. Scale was mean in a petty way, but he never actually hurt anyone. If true evil had the power to give anyone to the god of death, the world would be doomed.  
  
"Now, let's finish this," the Eye spirit said as he prepared to let loose a final large burst of energy.  
  
"NO!" a shout came from behind Scale. To everyone's shock, Ankh dashed past Scale and grabbed onto the spirit of the Eye from the side. He wrapped his arms around the other spirit's neck, with one hand over the Eye. "Do something fast!" he called to Scale.  
  
The Eye's spirit yelled in surprise and frustration. Scale didn't waste any time. Recovering quickly, Scale drew a bit of the Eye's essence out through his scream and onto one side of the Scales. Unlike the previous criminals, this mist was pitch black. It was a stark contrast to the pure white feather on the other side. The mist's side fell so fast that it nearly dragged the Scales to the ground.  
  
With a mighty roar, Anubis rose into the room. Scale and Shadi both fell prostrate before their master. Ankh, who usually had nothing to do with Anubis, had quickly let go of the Eye and backed up into the wall. Bakura and the spirit of the Eye stood frozen in place. Ryou was writing in silent agony, since having a god rise directly into his soul room was not exactly comfortable.  
  
||AH, A MILLENNIUM SPIRIT...|| Anubis mused, fingering the Eye spirit's head. ||THIS SHALL OCCUPY ME FOR QUITE A WHILE.|| The god carefully took the head in his giant clawed hand. He turned to Scale. ||YOU HAVE NOT SHOWN YOUR FACE IN OVER THREE MILLENNIA. WHAT BRINGS OUT OUT, MY MOST FAITHFUL SERVANT?||  
  
"I... he... the Ring's spirit... brought me out, Master," Scale said hurriedly.  
  
Anubis looked over at the white-haired spirit. ||I SEE. PERHAPS I SHALL ACQUIRE A SECOND SPIRIT TO CHEW ON BEFORE THIS DAY IS DONE.|| With a predatory grin, he pulled the Eye spirit struggling and screaming down to the underworld with him.  
  
Ryou gave a gasp of relief. Ankh slid down the wall to sit down. Bakura shivered slightly, looking at the place where Anubis and the spirit of the Eye had disappeared. Scale and Shadi slowly got to their feet. Scale wiped sweat from his forehead and gave Ankh a strange, slightly puzzled look.  
  
Recovering quickly, Bakura strode over to Scale and gripped the neck of his robe. "You just killed my Millennium Eye! That took a lot of trouble to get! You'll be sorry now."  
  
"There's no reason to be angry," Shadi said calmly, walking up to the pair. "You still possess the Eye and all its powers. It is only the spirit who shall never return."  
  
"Are you telling the truth?" Bakura hissed, dropping Scale and advancing on Shadi.   
  
Shadi nodded. The Ring's spirit smiled maliciously. "Good. He was a weak idiot. He wasn't worthy to live in this king's vessel."  
  
Scale slunk away from the violent spirit. Ankh went over to make sure he was all right. He looked at Ankh with narrowed eyes. "I guess you're not as much of a cowardly fool as I thought you were..."  
  
Ankh smiled and blushed at Scale's extravagant praise. "Well, I couldn't let him hurt you... You're not as evil as you pretend to be."  
  
Scale glared at him. "Don't expect anything in return! And if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll strangle you!"  
  
"Of course, Scale," Ankh said. Then he went over to check on Ryou, who still looked rather panicked at having a god in his mind.  
  
"...Nevertheless, the fact remains that you stole the Eye," Shadi said to Bakura. "You too must be judged by the Scales."  
  
"Judged?" Bakura and Ryou said simultaneously, paling a bit and looking at Scale. Scale walked back over to the white-haired spirit rather unwillingly. He held up the Scales once more.  
  
"Why did you steal the Eye? What are you planning to use it for?" Scale asked. Bakura was rooted to the floor by the Scales' power.  
  
Shadi, Ankh, and Scale were watching so intently that they didn't see Ryou scramble to his feet. He looked pleadingly at the picture of the Change of Heart on the wall. The card's eyes glowed green, and suddenly Ryou was standing in front of Scale, while Bakura stood behind them.  
  
"Please don't take him! He's not always nice, but he's part of me! Please, I can't lose him. He took the Eye because the spirit of Yugi's Puzzle is so strong. He just wants to have a chance next time they face each other. You can't kill him!" Ryou said in a rush. As he spoke, pure white mist came from his mouth and rested on the Scales, opposite the feather. It didn't sink at all. If anything, it rose a bit. Everyone else stared in amazement. Scale looked like he was in a state of shock. Ryou gained a thin white aura for a split second, then it vanished.  
  
"Well I guess that's that, then," Scale said. He sounded annoyed.  
  
"By the will of Ma'at, whose power resides in the Scales, the boy's wishes must be complied with," Shadi said. He turned to the speechless Ring spirit. "You have been spared today, but be cautious in the future. And you owe this mortal your life. Remember that the next time you lose your temper."  
  
Bakura growled low in his throat. "Get out of here," he said as he pushed past him and stalked back into his own soul room, slamming both doors behind him.  
  
"Thank you. All of you," Ryou said, looking at the other three with extreme gratitude.  
  
"You ruined it, you little cockroach!" Scale snarled. "I could have gotten rid of both of them! Now he'll still be after me. And he never did anything good for you. Why did you save him?"  
  
"He's still my other half," Ryou faltered. "And... He just doesn't know how to be nice. He'll learn, just give him some time."  
  
Scale uttered a sound of disgust and walked off to look at the pictures on the wall. Shadi looked doubtful. But Ankh smiled sadly.   
  
"I think you're right," Ankh said. "I can sense the goodness buried deep in his soul. But it may take a very long time, or it may be impossible to get to."  
  
Ryou smiled. "I know. But I'm patient."  
  
The door banged open again, and once more Bakura stood in the doorway scowling. "I told you to leave." Shadi, Ankh, and Scale were jerked forcefully out of Ryou's mind.  
  
  
Endnote: Well, that was rather intense for a while, wasn't it? Not as funny as it sometimes is. Sorry about that! Next chapter will have some very funny parts, even if it doesn't do much for the plot. Anyway, leave me a nice long review (or even just a short one if that's all you can manage), and I won't have Scale send you to Anubis!! Oh, and a question for all of you to answer: How do you feel about Seto/Ryou relationships? Doesn't have to be romantic, but it could be. I need some help for a future chapter. No, not Seto/Ryou. Just people like them. So let me know, please! Thanks! ^_^ 


	9. No Eye

Author's Notes: Rrg, I hate it when FF.N's down... The number of reviews is down again... Maybe it has to do with posting on Mondays? Maybe I should post on Sundays instead? JessiChi, sorry, but that's really about what happens when the Scales' power is used. Anubis is part of the story! I was brought up Christian too, but you've got to remember, it's just a story! I've been having a great time incorporating the Rod spirit into a later part of the story. Oh, it's very good. Much more torturing Scale, cause it's fun! Perhaps I didn't make myself clear in the last chapter's notes: I'm not doing any Seto/Ryou yaoi! I just have two characters who are a great deal like those two, and who are at least friends. I've never written a romance of any kind, and probably couldn't do it to save my life. Geez, you guys... Anyway, this is deviating from the Humor genre a bit... I'm not quite sure what else it is, though. Drama, maybe? Surely not action/adventure? And I really can't drag it back to plain humor. Scale was the humor, and since I decided to like him I have to make him a slightly three-dimensional character, so he can't be pure comic relief (though he's still mainly that). That and I'm really low on insults. But oh well... Again, if you have information about Malik and Isis's personalities, let me know! Scale has enormous mood-swings in this chapter. It's fun, you'll like it! Millennium Items on chocolate, whee! This chapter wasn't really needed, but since I like Pegasus and I think Shadi does too (not in THAT way, you yaoi-phobic freaks!), I felt obligated to do it. The plot will progress when I'm good and ready!  
Scale: Indigo's obviously too incompetent to even buy some DVDs of the series, much less own the series itself. Don't even bother trying to sue her.  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Having just been shoved out of Ryou's mind, Shadi, Ankh, and Scale landed hard on the ground. They got up, brushing themselves off. Ryou still stood in front of them. He had a blank look on his face, but then he blinked, shook his head as if to clear it, and looked at them.  
  
"I'm very sorry your time was wasted here," Ryou apologized.  
  
"On the contrary," Shadi assured him. "I needed to assess the situation. I had my doubts, but now I believe that the cosmic balance will drift back to normal naturally, for the moment, at least."  
  
Scale rolled his eyes and returned to his soul room. He seemed to glow, then became a stream of golden light that flowed into the Scales Shadi had.  
  
Ankh walked up to Ryou and put a hand on his shoulder. A wave of greenness pulsed through Ryou from Ankh's hand. "I know you want to be his friend, but that doesn't mean you should let him hurt you in the meantime. This should make you feel better for now." Ryou looked confused, but far more comfortable and relaxed. He looked askance at Ankh, who smiled at him. "I used to be a healer. And the Ankh is a symbol of life, so it makes sense that I can still do this."  
  
Ryou nodded, looking thoughtful. "The Scale spirit said Bakura was a tomb robber?"  
  
"That's right. Not an easy life, which is probably why he acts the way he does now," Ankh responded. "It was very nice meeting you! Maybe we'll see each other again some time." With that, he returned to the Ankh around Shadi's neck in a stream of golden light.  
  
"Well... thank you," Ryou said, looking at Shadi. "Is there... anything else I can do for you?"  
  
Shadi thought for a moment. "Actually, yes. I believe Pegasus will have been taken to a hospital. Would you happen to know which one it might be, and how I can get there?"  
  
"Well, the closest one is Domino Hospital," Ryou said, after a moment of consideration. "Just south of here, back on the mainland. It's right next to the ocean. If you take a boat due south, you can't miss it."  
  
"Thank you," Shadi said. He walked away, knowing that Ryou would not follow.  
  
"Umm... You're welcome," Ryou called after him.  
  
  
When he got to the island's docks outside, Shadi paused to assess the situation. There was a small rowboat tied up, but that was all. Although his good sense of direction told him which way was south, he had never managed a boat before. Neither had Ankh or Scale. And thinking of their shared motion sickness, he didn't like the look of the tiny, fragile boat rocking sickly in the waves.  
  
/I think we'd better chance another transport ritual. A slow one this time, that will take us south until we reach the mainland./  
  
//Urg, I just recovered from the last one...//  
  
\\You dolt, we're not doing that again.\\  
  
/Oh yes, all right. If you like, you can take over and get us there in this piece of junk. Or you can come out and take the boat yourself. Well? Go ahead!/  
  
//....//  
  
\\...Just shut up and let's go...\\  
  
/Ah, I thought so. How very kind of you to say that./ Using Anubis's power, Shadi sank into the ground.  
  
  
Shadi rose up again and banged his head against a sign. Rubbing his head and muttering about stupid modern architects, he stepped back to look at the sign. It said "Domino Regional Hospital." Shrugging, Shadi walked over to the entrance. Knowing that hospitals were very picky about visitors, Shadi used Ankh's powers to suppress his life-force so much that a normal human would not notice him. He walked in, found a nurse looking at a chart, and by pure luck saw her putting a checkmark by the name "Pegasus J. Crawford." He looked at the room number and wandered off to find the Eye's former host.  
  
On the third floor, Shadi found the right room. Glancing at the chart on the door, he saw that no one would be in to check on Pegasus again for another hour or so. He let himself in, closing the door behind him. Pegasus was sitting in the bed, propped up on some pillows and halfway watching cartoons on the TV. There was a patch of white gauze over his left eye socket. As Shadi entered, Pegasus looked up in surprise. "Shadi!" he exclaimed. "I lost the Millennium Eye. I'm sorry, I was weak and Bakura was too strong..."  
  
"I know. I spoke to him," Shadi said. "He will keep the Eye, though its spirit was banished. I hope you don't mind too much."  
  
"Oh no, I don't mind at all. It... spoke to me. It made me do things I never wanted to do. Are all the Millennium Items like that?" Pegasus asked.  
  
"I'm afraid so. They all have their own personalities," Shadi answered.  
  
"You must have no end of trouble, having two..." Pegasus said, looking at Shadi's Ankh and Scales.  
  
//Come on Shadi, we're not ALL like that...//  
  
\\That's it, I'm sick of this!! You think you and that pansy can just say whatever you want about us!? Any one of us is stronger than you! I could send you all to the Underworld! Ankh you moron, why do you suck up to these mortals!?\\  
  
//Don't forget, we were mortals too. And you know they either don't mean it or don't know what they're talking about. So calm down!//  
  
Pegasus was staring at the Scales, which were shaking with anger at Shadi's belt.  
  
"You have no idea the annoyance they cause..." Shadi said. "Just ignore Scale, he's had a very... interesting day."  
  
"I hope the Eye didn't give you any trouble," Pegasus said concernedly.  
  
"Well, a bit. But Ankh and Scale actually handled him rather easily."  
  
\\Oh, you thought it was easy? I don't remember you doing anything to help. Sure, it was easy to watch...\\  
  
//I don't know if I'd call it easy either...//  
  
"The Eye never really talked TO me, it just gave me orders. But yours talk a lot, don't they?" Pegasus commented, recognizing Shadi's glazed-over "listening" look.  
  
"Yes," Shadi sighed. "I've grown accustomed to it by now. But... I hope you don't suffer too much from the loss of the Eye."  
  
"Oh. No, don't worry about it," Pegasus said, looking down. "It made me finally accept Cecelia's death. And even if I had been able to bring her back somehow, what would she have thought of the things I've done? No, I'm glad it's gone." He paused to gingerly touch his eye patch. "And this will be a pain for a while, but I suppose it will be a reminder of past mistakes. Or something silly like that."  
  
//I could heal him, Shadi.//  
  
/Hmm... yes, you could. But to what extent?/  
  
//Well, it would take a lot of energy, but I could make him a whole new functioning eye. It would work perfectly after a few days.//  
  
/You can really do that?/  
  
//Probably.//  
  
Shadi looked back at Pegasus. "Ankh says he can heal your eye. He even thinks he can grow you a new one that will work perfectly, if you're interested."  
  
"Grow me... a new eye?" Pegasus asked, his good eye wide with wonder. "If he could... I'd be eternally grateful!"  
  
\\Oh please... Why are you wasting your time on this poof?\\  
  
//Quiet, Scale.// The Ankh glowed and Ankh appeared beside the bed. Pegasus gave a faint gasp and tried to sink into the pillows.  
  
"Please just relax. I won't hurt you, although it will probably itch horribly. That's it, hold still," Ankh said. He put his hands over the patch on Pegasus's face and carefully began to rebuild the damaged organ.  
  
With a bright glow, Scale came out, looking bored and skeptical. "What a waste of time and energy..." he muttered.  
  
Pegasus's good eye turned to Scale and he looked even more apprehensive.  
  
"Scale, if you keep distracting him, I'll have to give you an unquenchable obsession with the color pink," Ankh said in a dangerously calm voice, not looking up. Scale merely raised his eyebrows, gave a derisive laugh, and went over to examine the television.  
  
"Any reason you decided to come out?" Shadi asked his errant spirit.  
  
"I hadn't been out for two millennia before today," Scale said, not really paying attention. "It's far more interesting out here than it is in your dark, boring mind..."  
  
While Scale experimented with the TV's volume and channel controls, Ankh was finishing up with Pegasus' eye. "All right, keep your eye closed. I'm going to take a look," he said. He gently pried the gauze and tape off of Pegasus's eye. The eyelid was red and raw, but it looked like it was healing. He replaced the eye patch. "It looks good. Just keep the patch on for... three days, to be safe. Or at least keep it closed."  
  
"The doctors here will notice that it's healed," Pegasus said, rather dazed. "What should I tell them?"  
  
"Tell them you had it in your pocket the whole time," Scale said idly, as he gleefully pried the rubber buttons out of the remote control. "Got any more chocolateothers suddenly noticed that the large box of chocolates from Pegasus's servant Croquet was empty, with wrappers scattered around.  
  
Ankh raised his eyebrows. "Umm... I'm not sure. Just... make something up, I suppose. I doubt they got a good look at it before with all the blood. And uh... sorry about your chocolate." He stared at Scale, who was folding the wrappers into shapes.  
  
"Oh, um... that's all right, I guess. Thank you!" Pegasus said, rather baffled at this abrupt change of behavior in the strange Scale spirit.  
  
"You're welcome," Ankh said. "I think I'll... go back to my soul room now..." And he did.  
  
"What, don't you want any chocolate?" Scale asked, looking up. "Oh that's right, I ATE it all!" He burst out laughing. Shadi and Pegasus stared at him as though he had grown a second head.  
  
"Scale, I think you'd better... go back to your Item too," Shadi said slowly.  
  
"Not a chance, you pest. I like it out here," Scale said, throwing a handful of folded chocolate wrappers at him."  
  
Shadi frowned in deep disapproval. He used his "ownership privileges" to draw Scale back into his Item. After an initial cry of protest, Shadi heard Scale's continued giggling and a groan from Ankh. Out in the hall, footsteps approached.  
  
"Well, I'm glad we could help you. And again, I apologize for Scale," Shadi said. "I'm afraid I should go now. Write me a letter some time, Pegasus."  
  
"Thank you so much!" Pegasus exclaimed. "Write to me, too. And if you're ever in the area again, come by my mansion for a while. Goodbye."  
  
Shadi nodded and sank into the ground once more.  
  
  
Endnote: Well okay, this chapter does have SOME significance later. But not a whole lot. Go forth and review!! 


	10. Lost

Author's Note: Sorry if I sounded snappy last time, JessiChi. I didn't mean to! All the relationships are figured out now. Yay! Don't worry about seeing yaoi if you don't like it, because you won't. Unless you look hard. But you can find ANYTHING if you look hard enough. That doesn't mean it was intended to be there. Scale may be a bit out of character in this chapter, but he's tired and sick, so give me a break! Not much, if any, of Ankh in the next couple chapters, but I'll make up for that later. You guys don't seem to miss him much, although I know I did. Also, this is just a transition chapter, so I know perfectly well that it's not very good. A note on languages: Shadi speaks Egyptian and English. Pegasus speaks English and Japanese. Isis and Malik speak Egyptian and Japanese, and perhaps some English. Because I say so. I don't think anyone else matters much, because Ankh's always there to use his powers of translation.  
Scale: Are you blind!? Don't you ever pay attention? I said, MULTIPLE TIMES, that Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. By Ra, how dense can you BE!?  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
After only a second in the darkness of the transport ritual, Shadi felt himself yanked out of it, landing roughly on the hard pavement. Nausea overcame him and he quickly turned his head to vomit next to a building. Scale and Ankh, being non-physical beings, were only able to moan in his mind.  
  
Shadi spat a few times and leaned back. /What... in the world... happened?/  
  
Ankh was gasping for breath. //Sorry... used too much energy on that eye... I... can't...// He passed out.  
  
\\You imbecile, I told you not to waste your strength on that! Urgh, that was too much chocolate...\\ Scale sounded tired too, but not as much as Ankh.  
  
Shadi looked around. He was in an empty alleyway. Just outside the alley, he saw a sign full of Japanese characters. /Well, as least we're not in the middle of the ocean. We're still in Japan, probably still in Domino. But I don't know where exactly we are.../  
  
\\Then go ask for directions!\\  
  
/What would I say? 'Excuse me, how do I get to Egypt from here?' Besides, without Ankh to help me, we wouldn't be able to understand each other./  
  
\\Well then go be the stupid foreigner you are and MAKE them understand! A loud voice and forceful gestures have nothing to do with language!\\  
  
/I suppose there isn't much else I can do... Maybe I can at least get back to the hospital and ask Pegasus for help./ Shadi got up and walked out of the alley. There were a few people around, but Shadi was a little hesitant to just ask anyone for help. Since he knew he had to start somewhere though, he quickly went up to a passing boy. The boy had spiky black hair, intensely green eyes, a single die on a long earring, and three cheerleaders following him from a distance.  
  
"Excuse me..." Shadi said, catching the boy's attention. "Please, could you tell me how to get to Domino Regional Hospital from here?"  
  
The boy stared at him for a moment. "Baka gaijin," he muttered scornfully, walking away.  
  
Shadi blinked. /That didn't go very well.../  
  
\\I told you, mold head! Yell slowly and wave your arms around!\\  
  
/Scale, shut up./  
  
Shadi wandered around for a while, reluctant to talk to another person. Luckily, someone approached him first. It was a tall young woman with long straight black hair and darkly tanned skin. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the Millennium Tauk around her neck, among other gold jewelry.  
  
"Shadi, isn't it?" the girl asked, wasting no time on pleasantries. "I know you're lost and stranded, and I know you'll just end up talking me into letting you stay the night, so you'd better come with me. Here, carry this." She was holding some bags of groceries, and she handed one to him. After he hesitantly took it, she turned around and walked away, apparently expecting him to follow.  
  
Shadi stared openmouthed. He swallowed and got a better grip on the bag. He ran a step or two and caught up with her. Racking his brain for memories, he said, "Er, and you would be... Isis, correct? Your grasp of the Tauk's power is truly impressive."  
  
Isis nodded without looking at him and smiled slightly. "I've gotten better. I'm a bit surprised that you remember me, though."  
  
"Well, it is my life's work to keep track of the Items," Shadi said. They turned, entered an apartment building, and got in the elevator. Isis pushed a button that Shadi couldn't read and Shadi's stomach turned a bit as the elevator went up.  
  
/Just when I was starting to feel better... Scale, is the Tauk's spirit always like this? It's not that she's dangerous or psychopathic, just extremely unnerving./  
  
\\How should I know? Why would I pay attention to that? She's got the power to see the future, so of course she's going to use it, you idiot.\\  
  
The elevator stopped with a "ding" and they got off. Shadi followed Isis down the hall. She fished some keys out of her pocket, opened one of the doors, and walked in, with Shadi trailing behind.  
  
"Close the door after you," Isis told him as she brought her bags into the kitchen.  
  
Shadi closed the door, brought his bag into the kitchen, and carefully set it on the table. "I'm eternally grateful for your kindness. And you have no idea how much I appreciate hearing my own language."  
  
"Well, you may want to start learning Japanese," Isis said as she put away the groceries. "All the Items are here, and this is where the main events will be happening. And after my brother comes home, you may not be so happy to be here."  
  
"I thought he seemed nice enough when I met him before," Shadi said.  
  
"He changed a lot that day," Isis said quietly. "I do not blame you because I know it was your duty to give him the Millennium Rod, but you'll see what it's done to him."  
  
"I... apologize," Shadi said rather uncomfortably. "I was not sure that he should have it, but the spirit of my Millennium Scales gave me no choice."  
  
"Your Items force you to act in ways you normally would not?" Isis asked. "Perhaps you will understand Malik's problem better than I thought." She finished putting away the food and went to a closet outside the kitchen. She pulled out a pillow and blanket and led him into the living room. "You may sleep here tonight," she said, tossing the blanket and pillow on the sofa.  
  
"Thank you," said Shadi. "Incidentally, where is your brother?"  
  
"Probably out terrorizing someone," Isis sighed. "Or stealing rare cards. Hopefully not killing anyone today. He should be back soon."  
  
/The Rod spirit?/  
  
Scale yawned. \\Doesn't sound like it. That loser usually thought he was above killing people. Not as bad as that idiot Ankh, though. But this guy sounds like somebody I could relate to!\\  
  
/I somehow doubt that./  
  
Isis watched the mental exchange. "Well, I'm going to fix dinner. You can rest until then. The bathroom's around that corner at the end of the hall." She went back to the kitchen.  
  
Shadi stood for a moment, then went to wash his hands and face.  
  
\\It's about time! Do you know how filthy you are!?\\  
  
/No worse than you would be if you spent all your time in physical form./  
  
\\Hmm... I may have to come out to meet this boy. I knew he'd turn out well after what I did for him.\\  
  
/You weren't invited. There isn't enough room or food for you. If we go into his mind, you can come out if you like./  
  
\\I don't know about that. He doesn't sound like the Rod's spirit at all, and she said he's not like her brother. I'll let you go in and if he doesn't kill you, I might grace both of you infidels with my presence\\  
  
/Oh, how kind of you.../  
  
After a few minutes, a tempting smell floated in from the kitchen. Then there was a loud pounding at the door. Isis came out holding a bottle of thick brown liquid, went over to one of the bedrooms, and then calmly walked out to open the door. There was an angry woman at the door holding a small dog. She started screaming angrily in Japanese. The dog had long white hair whose back half was shaved completely bald. There were hieroglyphs cut into its skin that said things like "Property of Malik Ishtar," "Naked Mole Rat," and "You're Next." Scale started laughing at the sight.  
  
Isis sighed and answered in calm, clear Japanese. She handed the other woman a small wad of money. The woman with the dog glared at her, snatched the money, and yelled something threatening as she left. Isis closed the door, obviously trying to keep her cool. She turned to Shadi.  
  
"Be assured, you will regret this visit to the end of your days. I'm going to kill that little psycho..." she muttered, returning to the kitchen.  
  
/...That's disturbing.../  
  
\\This 'Malik' definitely seems worth my time...\\  
  
Shadi sat looking around the room for a while, not really sure what to do. Then the door banged open and a boy strode in. Shadi recognized him as the other he gave the Rod to. He was taller, with a lean, cat-like look to him. His violet eyes were wild and he was grinning.  
  
"What's for dinner, Isis? I want meat, not that floppy pasta stuff! Huh?" he yelled, then stopped when he saw Shadi. His eyes went slanted, flashed blue, and went back to normal. "Hey! You're the guy who gave me my Rod! What're you doing here?"  
  
Before Shadi could answer, Isis stormed out of the kitchen. "Malik! I told you to leave the neighbors' pets alone! I gave that woman some money from YOUR stash, but next time we might be driven out by an angry mob! I can't believe you!" She gave Malik a death glare.  
  
"You took my money!? If you weren't my sister I'd kill you! And what's he doing here?" Malik asked. He was still smiling, which somehow made him seem even more frightening.  
  
Isis sighed. "He was handling some business here and got stranded. He's going to stay here tonight, so you'd better behave."  
  
Malik flashed her a feral grin. "Oh, of course. If we have meat for dinner."  
  
Isis rolled her eyes. "Yes."  
  
\\...What a psychopath...\\  
  
/And naturally, you have yourself to thank for that./  
  
\\You didn't object much! So stay out of it you useless oaf!\\  
  
  
Endnote: Yay, Malik! Did you catch what happened when he saw Shadi? No, you probably didn't. But oh well. And how did I do on Malik and Isis? Go review right now! And gimme some insults, because I've begun to recycle them already. Surely you people aren't so polite that you can't think of something ridiculous to call someone... How about some disgusting animals? Bugs, reptiles, etc. All the cool ones. ^_^ 


	11. The High Priest

Author's Notes: Warning: Graphic animal cruelty! I'll put asterisks around the nasty section, so if that stuff bothers you, DON'T READ IT! I personally think it's one of the most disgusting things I've ever read, and I can't believe I wrote it. I felt like throwing up as I typed it. You have been warned. It's not entirely necessary, but I think it fits, and you'll figure out what happens there later anyway, because people will mention it. I don't know if I got Malik's character quite right, but it's too late now. Also, you'll get to learn Ankh and Scale's real names in this one! And the Rod spirit's but his is no secret. They're real Egyptian names, too. Shadi and I will still refer to them as "Ankh" and "Scale," but tell me what you think. And review this. And give me chocolate!! I was just sentences from the end the other day when I decided I didn't like where it had gone and ripped out the last few chapters. I was going to have Shadi stay in Japan, but he really didn't like that idea... So any help with an ending would be much appreciated.  
  
Ankh: Um... I'm not really supposed to be doing this, because I'm kind of... incapacitated right now, if you hadn't noticed. But Scale's being lazy and I can't find him anywhere, so I suppose I'll have to do it... Indigo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She says she owns me and Scale, but I don't think she told Shadi about that... And she doesn't even have our Items! She tried to make an Ankh out of a hanger and duct tape, but honestly, it looks fairly bad... No offense to her, of course. So I don't think you want to sue her, because if you did, you would only get the rest of her duct tape. I hope that was good enough! Thank you for listening. I'm off to find Scale...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Shadi, Isis, and Malik sat around the table eating. There was steak and a salad. Shadi and Isis carefully cut up their meat, and neatly ate their salad. Malik stabbed a whole steak with his fork and ripped off chunks with his sharp, bright white teeth. The Millennium Rod leaned against his chair next to him.  
  
\\What a neurotic little worm...\\  
  
/No more pride in your "creation"? Your "special project"?/  
  
\\Shut up and eat, you buffoon.\\  
  
  
After dinner, Isis had to go over to the museum where she worked, so Shadi was left alone with Malik. As soon as she left, Malik ran to his room and came out with a mouse in his hand. He went into the kitchen with it and Shadi followed in morbid curiosity. ******Nastiness ahead!******** He watched in horror as Malik stapled the mouse to the cutting board by its feet belly-up. He took the Millennium Rod's knife out and cut carefully from the mouse's throat to its tail. The mouse squeaked desperately and struggled to get free, its organs oozing out onto the cutting board. To Shadi's disgust, he heard Malik humming happily as he meticulously cut the mouse up. He even made little noises of appreciation as he gulped down the organs one by one. Shadi and Scale were speechless with revulsion. ********It's over! Thank Ra!*******  
  
Malik turned to Shadi with some blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. "Luckily for you, I'm in a good mood today. Come on, let's watch a movie." He went to the living room to root through his video collection.  
  
/By Ra, this must be the most disturbing person I've ever met.../  
  
"Here it is!" Malik exclaimed gleefully, pulling a video out. "End of Evangelion! The main guy's a wuss, but there're lots of exploding heads and stuff."  
  
Shadi reluctantly sat down on the edge of the sofa. Malik put the tape in the VCR, turned on the TV, and hopped onto the other side of the couch. As the movie started, Malik grabbed a bag half full of popcorn off the floor, snatched Shadi's pillow, and sat on the floor to be closer to the screen.   
  
/I can't figure it out... If this isn't the Rod's spirit, then who or what is it?/  
  
\\How should I know? And why should I care? Ask him and see if he cuts you up like that mouse.\\  
  
/I think we're going to have to enter his mind. Wake up Ankh for a moment, would you?/  
  
\\Heh... Gladly.\\  
  
/Quickly, Scale. Nothing too elaborate./  
  
\\You're the most boring person in existence!\\ Shadi sensed Scale stalk over to Ankh's soul room, bang on the door, enter, and shake the other spirit awake. \\Get up you lazy pest!\\  
  
//Huh? Scale? What?// Ankh mumbled.  
  
/Ankh, take me into this boy's mind./  
  
//Hmm? Oh, what a disturbed person... Okay.// Shadi pointed the Ankh at the back of Malik's head and turned it. Ankh put him into the young Egyptian's mind. Shadi felt Scale wander back to his own soul room muttering about how useless Ankh was.  
  
  
Malik's mind was similar to Yugi's and Ryou's, with two doors along a long hallway. But at the end of the corridor, Shadi saw a dark, forbidding fog. With Ankh's powers helping him, he was almost overcome by the rage, fear, and pain that made up the cloud.  
  
/Rrgh... Ankh, go back to sleep. This is too much./  
  
Ankh, too tired to care how horrible he felt, did as he was told. That lessened the negative feelings to a bearable amount.  
  
Without Ankh's heightened ability to sense emotions, Shadi took in his surroundings. The door on the left was gold with purple bits in it. It appeared to be welded shut. The door on the right was gray stone with bits of blue and violet in it. It was set far back in the wall, separating itself from the rest of the mind. There was a vague blue force field around the edges of it.   
  
/Will you join me, or are you just going to sit there?/  
  
\\The patterns on that door were only used by the leading black mage and high priest. He was the smartest person around... besides me, of course. We didn't get along well.\\  
  
/I see. So you're just going to sit there like a lump, then?/  
  
\\When he traps you in here, it'll be entirely your fault! I think we should get out of here now.\\  
  
?Very well then.../ Shadi approached the door on the right and knocked. ...And knocked... and knocked again. Although he knew that an empty soul room could not be locked, no one came to answer the door. Shadi tried a few more times; knocking, rattling the handle, pushing, and calling out to the room's inhabitant.  
  
\\Oh give it a rest, mush brain. He's not going to answer no matter how much you try.\\  
  
/I'm not leaving until I get to talk to this spirit. So you'd better get comfortable./  
  
Scale growled. \\I'm not staying in here any longer!\\  
  
/You have no choice. Unless you'd like to help?/  
  
Scale 'hmph'ed and muttered under his breath.  
  
Shadi continued to try to get through the door for about ten minutes. If nothing else, he was very persistent.  
  
Finally, Scale couldn't take it any more. \\SETH YOU EGOTISTICAL FAKE!! OPEN THIS DOOR BEFORE I COME IN THERE AND IMPALE YOU ON YOUR OWN ROD!!!\\ he screamed at the top of his lungs, making the Millennium Scales shake.  
  
There was a slight noise behind the door, and after a few seconds it opened. The spirit looking out at Shadi looked like a young man with short brown hair and narrow, piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a mage's uniform slightly similar to Ankh's, but his was deep blue and much crisper and more formal. He looked at Shadi distrustfully.  
  
"Shadi," Seth the Rod spirit said. "I see you've caught up with me again. I wondered when you'd show up in here." He glanced down at the Scales at Shadi's belt. "It's been a while, Senui. You still haven't learned any patience. I can't say I'm surprised. Still clinging to anyone stronger than you like the worthless dog you are?"  
  
Scale appeared angrily. "At least I've got some control over my own host! Have you looked out at yours lately!?"  
  
That was a mistake. The taller Rod spirit stepped up to Scale, grabbed the neck of his robe, and flung him into the soul room behind him. Shadi quickly followed the two spirits.  
  
"I never wanted this boy! He's not even the right one for me! You forced me to live in a half insane mind with some spirit of his own creation," Seth raged. "All I want is to find the one I'm supposed to be with so I can have someone up to my intellect to live with and be able to relax for once! Do you know what it's like having to live here YEAR AFTER YEAR!?" His voice reached a hysterical note.  
  
"Please, calm down," Shadi urged the enraged Rod spirit. "I came about this... other spirit. What is it? Where did it come from?"  
  
Seth left Scale to get up and dust himself off, and went over to Shadi. It was dark in the room, but the little patch of light they were in was good enough to see by.   
  
"It was there when I get here. I wondered about it myself. It turns out that when Malik was ten years old, his father tattooed his whole back with information about the fabled "God Cards." As you might imagine, Malik didn't enjoy that much. All of his pain, fear, hate, and other negative emotions condensed to form the cloud you saw in the hallway. The day I was given to him," he paused to glare at Scale, "the powers he drew from me combined with the extra burst of horror he experienced when he saw his servant being beaten made that negativity into a whole new being."  
  
"So you just let it take over? Are you really that weak?" Scale taunted.  
  
"Watch it, Senui," the high priest growled. "I told you I want nothing to do with any of this. I'm just trying to find my rightful owner, my descendent." He turned back to Shadi. "I sensed him in this city, so I made Malik and his sister move here. Other than that, I let him do what he wants with the Rod."  
  
"I normally would approve of that completely," Shadi said, "but have you seen what he's like?"  
  
"He's a disgusting, bloodthirsty psychopath!" Scale exclaimed.  
  
"I don't care," Seth said. "He can do what he likes. He's slowly bringing me closer to my rightful partner, and that's all that matters. Now if you're quite finished interrogating me, get out of here."  
  
"Gladly, you arrogant prick!" Scale snarled.  
  
"I'm afraid we can't just yet," Shadi said. "Ankh was barely strong enough to bring us in here, and now I can't feel him at all."  
  
Seth looked up, slightly interested. "Oh, I didn't even sense him before. Ankhkare had a fair amount of talent as a healer. It must have taken a lot to knock him out like that."  
  
"Hmph. He's just a weakling," Scale said.   
  
"No, I wasn't talking about you," Seth said, still looking at the Ankh. "Very well then. If you must stay, then make yourselves comfortable." He gestured at a couple of chairs at the light's edge that Shadi hadn't seen before. Shadi and Scale sat, waiting for Ankh to regain enough strength to take them out of this mind. If he could.  
  
  
Endnote: Oh, look at this! Heh heh... I still love Ankh, but I have been known to try to kill off my favorites before... You'll just have to see! And no, nobody likes Scale. He's very lucky he was paired with tolerant people like Shadi and Ankh. So please review, and give me ideas for an ending. 


	12. Escape?

Author's Notes: So, will I kill off Ankh? Let's see... Oh, and I think I messed up my timeline with Malik, but oh well. Good enough. And probablyt the others too. As hard as I try, I can't be perfect! I'm glad someone thinks this is accurate, though! I try so hard to keep it that way... Which is why though I'd like to get the Rod back to Seto, I really can't... So Seth is the tragic side-character who does all he can but must ultimately fail. *sniff* Poor guy. Yep, the dark spirit in Malik, the nasty cloud, is what we know as Yami Malik, and in ancient Egypt, the Rod was Seto's (or Seth's). And what Seth told Shadi is what actually happened, more or less. Yami Malik's not a real spirit, just Malik's negativity. And I guess Ankh didn't talk to the other spirits the way Scale did. No more Anubis (unless my plans change), but the goddess Isis is lurking around, just so you know... Mention of the minions of Set towards the end, because I needed a threat and was watching that episode of Samurai Jack, and thought they were cool.  
  
Ankh: I still haven't found Scale yet... I can't imagine what he'd be doing! But... Indigo still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and she still somehow thinks she owns us... She even loaned us out to another author, The Clow Hatter! I don't know what Shadi will say about that! I think she may be a bit delusional!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
"Well Scale, you're not very popular, are you?" Shadi mused, having nothing better to do.   
  
"Quit pretending you're above me, bubble brain," Scale said.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"...Just shut up, baka..." Scale muttered darkly.  
  
"Ah, I see you're picking up the language," Shadi said. He turned to the Rod's spirit. "So what is the spirit of the Tauk like?"  
  
Seth frowned. "I don't know much about her. She keeps to herself most of the time. She's fairly strong, though. But no threat to anyone, at least not at the moment."  
  
"I see," Shadi said. "Oh, what was that you called Ankh and Scale?"  
  
"Ankhkare and Senui. Their names." Seth glanced at Scale. "I know at least HE remembers."  
  
"Ah, I see. Ankh did not remember, and Scale did not care to enlighten us. What do you know about this descendent of yours?"  
  
"I believe his name is Seto. Malik's sister works for a museum affiliated with the company he owns. I hear he's very intelligent and powerful, though he has little interest in ancient Egypt. I've been trying to make Isis show him the relics depicting me, but she hasn't so far." He sounded rather disappointed.  
  
"And what about the door across the hall from yours?" asked Shadi.  
  
"Oh, that's where Malik's dark side locked him up," Seth said. "I did check the door once, and no force I know of could open it. There might be a way, but I don't care to try."  
  
"Hmm... Ankh could probably get him out. Perhaps if we're still here by the time he's fully recovered, he'd like to try. I'm sure he'd spring at the chance."  
  
Scale looked down and kicked his chair with the back of his foot. "He's got nothing to do with us. What a waste of time. His dark side's probably about to carve you up and eat your organs out there."  
  
Shadi looked sharply at Seth. "What's he doing?"  
  
Seth unfocused his eyes for a moment. Then he looked at Shadi. "He's still watching that movie. Completely oblivious to anything else. But it's right in the thick of the exploding heads, so I believe it's nearly over. You may want to leave soon."  
  
Shadi frowned and turned to Scale. "Go wake up Ankh again, if you can."  
  
"Are you implying that I cant?" Scale asked.  
  
Shadi sighed impatiently. "Just go, Scale. Honestly, you're such a pain..."  
  
Scale muttered angrily under his breath, but disappeared back into his Item.  
  
"I thought he was bad in ancient times," Seth said, "but he's ten times more annoying now."  
  
Inside Shadi's mind, Scale was screaming at Ankh, shaking him and slapping him around to no avail.  
  
"He's been this way ever since I became the guardian of the Items," Shadi said. "Perhaps a previous guardian had something to do with it." Seth shrugged.  
  
Scale appeared back in the room with them. "That sad excuse for a waste of space won't wake up. Do you think he's dead?" he asked with a mixture of annoyance and boredom.  
  
Shadi glared at him. "No I do NOT think he's dead. And if he was, you'd be stuck in here with two people who would rapidly become very irritated with you. So don't sound so eager."  
  
The Rod spirit looked as repulsed by that idea as Scale did. "Wait. I have the power to control anyone. I can reach into your mind and wake him up. I'll even give him an extra boost of power if you need it to get out."  
  
"Very well," Shadi said. "Thank you. It's the greenish door on the left as you enter the room." He opened his mind to the Rod spirit.  
  
Seth sent part of his spirit into Shadi's mind, and Shadi turned his attention inward to watch. Seth walked into a circular room with three doors besides the one he had entered through. On the right was a gray door with the Eye of Horus on it and black flecks all over. Directly in front of him was a plain wooden door. And to his right was another gray door with the Eye of Horus on it, this one with green flecks in it. Seth approached the left-hand door, knocked once, and entered. He saw Ankh sprawled on his bed, unconscious. His face was red from Scale's violent attempts to wake him. Seth walked over to him. He held his Rod pointed at the other spirit. He focused his power into it and channeled some energy through it as well.  
  
"Ankhkare. Wake up," Seth commanded. The spirit of the Ankh squeezed his eyes shut for a second. Then he shot upright in bed, staring at the Rod spirit.  
  
"You!" Ankh exclaimed. "You're the Rod spirit. But... I feel like I should know you..."  
  
"Well you certainly have a selective memory," Seth said with a slight smile. "What do you remember about our past?"  
  
"I remember I was a healer, Scale was a judge, the Ring spirit was a tomb robber, and the Puzzle holds the Pharaoh's spirit. I'm afraid that's all," Ankh said apologetically.  
  
"Well first of all, your name was Ankhkare. I'm Seth, former high priest and black mage. The Scales' spirit was Senui. And it's not particularly important, but the Eye's spirit was one of the pharaoh's advisors and the Tauk actually holds the goddess Isis, or what's left of her."  
  
"Oh..." Ankh said, trying to take all this information in. "So... were we against each other? Or were we friends?"  
  
Seth gave a short laugh. "Friends? Not quite. But something like that, I suppose. Now, your host really needs you to take him out of this mind or he may risk death at the hands of MY insane host. And keeping you awake is really wearing on me. So go get your "friends" and get out of here. Perhaps we'll meet again some time."  
  
"Oh yes, I see! Sorry to be so much trouble," Ankh said quickly. Seth nodded and disappeared back to his soul room. Ankh brought Shadi back out of Malik's mind and into the physical realm.  
  
  
Just as Shadi took the Ankh away from Malik's head and set it back on his own chest, the boy turned around. "That was great! I'll have to try that some time!" Now out of Seth's influence, Ankh, fell back asleep.  
  
Shadi was slowly edging away from Malik when the door opened and Isis came in. "Sorry I was late, I had to rearrange some stone tablets. Malik! Stop watching your sick, twisted movies and leave Shadi alone. In fact, go to bed." Malik stood up defiantly. They both glared at each other, gaining almost invisible auras as they matched wills. Then Malik turned and walked away, muttering resentful death threats. Isis glared after him, then turned back to Shadi. "I'm sorry. Please, sleep now."  
  
"Thank you," Shadi said. "I think I will." Isis turned off the TV and the main light, going into her bedroom. Shadi retrieved his pillow from the floor, stretched out, covered himself with the blanket, and fell asleep quickly.  
  
  
After a few minutes, Isis crept out of her room to the kitchen to finish cleaning up and maybe get a snack. She put the clean dishes away and put the dirty ones in the dishwasher to be washed overnight. Then she pulled down a loaf of bread, took two slices out of the bag, and put the rest of the loaf back. She put her two pieces in the toaster and went to get the butter out of the refrigerator while they toasted. She plugged in a night-light to see by so she didn't wake Shadi. She needn't have worried though, because Ankh's exhaustion had been passed on to his host. When her toast popped up, she took it, the butter, and a spreading knife over to the cutting board. Unfortunately for Malik though, he was not at neat as his sister...  
  
"MALIK!!! I forbade you from having any more animals! You could at least clean up after yourself! And you WILL, because I will NOT!!"  
  
  
Endnote: Aww, I couldn't kill off Ankh. I like him too much, and Scale's much more fun with him around to make fun of. And I'm so happy to see that at least four of you like him too! Yay! I was afraid you didn't like him. He very much wants to be liked. ...You realize of course, that I never had any intention of killing him. I just said that to see what you'd say. ^_^ *runs away from angry mob of reviewers* Whether you think of Seth and Ankh as friends or lovers, it doesn't matter. It's in the past. It won't affect anything. That was the "Seto/Ryou" couple I asked about before that nobody seemed to like. But now everyone's happy! So nyaa! Oh, and I found a stopping point last night. Not an ending, but a place where the story can pause while I think of more. It's so good! I'm so happy! 


	13. Soul Changing

Author's Notes: Warning: "Suggestive Dialogue" by Scale, but he's like that, so live with it. Nothing too bad. This chapter may be a bit boring. It's basically explaining some things about the past and tying up loose ends. I know Seth doesn't act like Seto sometimes, but they aren't the same person. And I know Malik's out of character at times, but I can't help it. I've seen very little of him. This chapter and part of the next will be in Ankh's point of view because I missed him SO much! And Shadi needs his sleep. To all you Americans, happy Thanksgiving! To the non-Americans, yeah, it's kind of a dumb holiday, isn't it? But it gets us out of school. ^_^ Chibigreen Tanuki, I thought of Ankh/Scale myself, but if it goes on, it'll be in private. And none of us would be able to guess, because they'll act the same! And don't think Shadi's safe yet! There's more to come for him! JessiChi, the "real" Malik will show up for a short time, in a while. Seena, Ankh's like Ryou because they're both cute and sweet and nice. And yes, End of Evangelion is the last OVA in the Evangelion anime series. It's REALLY bloody! SalAmanda, I'm not sure what'll happen when Yami sends Yami Malik to the Shadow Realm... Hopefully it'll just be his negativity, like when he banished Seto's dark side. I hope he doesn't put the Rod spirit in the SHadow Realm. Poor Seth has enough trouble already. Hmm...  
  
Scale: That wimpy deformed cross thought he could take my place, did he!? I'll show him! He wouldn't know who owned Yu-Gi-Oh if it hit him in the face! And that's a pretty good idea. I think I'll go do that... Wait, why am I even DOING this!? First Indigo thinks me and the wimp belong to her. What a loser. Then shegoes and lets everybody and their mother use us! First that freak the Clow Hatter and now that name-changing idiot, Killing Perfection! See if I ever listen to her again!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Early the next morning, Ankh woke up feeling well rested. He had unknowingly given the brunt of his exhaustion to Shadi and Scale, so they were still asleep, as were Malik and Isis. But he could sense the Rod spirit's waking mind, so he silently separated from Shadi and slipped over to Malik's bedroom. Making sure his body was in its most insubstantial form, he carefully passed through the door. Malik was asleep half in and half out of his bed in a very strange position. Checking to make sure he wouldn't wake up any time soon, Ankh took himself into the boy's mind.  
  
Before he could go over to the Rod spirit's door, Ankh was overcome by the cloud of negativity. He staggered and put his hand on the left-hand door. Noticing that it was sealed shut, he pulled himself together enough to undo the seal. He softly opened the door. Malik lay sprawled all over a bed inside. He looked sad and troubled. But he also looked very tired, so Ankh quietly closed the door and clenched his teeth as he moved across the hall and knocked on the other door.  
  
"Seth?" he called tentatively. There was the faint sound of footsteps on the other side of the door, and after a second it opened.  
  
"Ankhkare," Seth greeted him with a nod. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Well, I was," Ankh said, making a face. "But this mind is so full of negativity that I almost wish I were unconscious again."  
  
"Yes, it IS pretty bad out there," Seth agreed. "Come in, it's better in here." Ankh followed him in and he shut the door behind them.  
  
"That's much better. Thank you," Ankh said, smiling.  
  
"I assume you'd like to know what that dark cloud in the hall is?" Seth asked. Ankh nodded, and Seth proceeded to tell him what he had told Shadi about Malik, and then his reincarnation who was out there somewhere.  
  
"I wish I could help you, but don't you think you should take care of your present host as well?" asked Ankh. "I had to practically un-weld his door to open it."  
  
Seth's eyes widened. "Shadi said that you could do that, but I didn't believe him. I'm impressed. I'm sorry, I know you disapprove, but I really don't care what happens to this boy."  
  
Ankh frowned slightly. "I think I remember you being selfish like this before. But please, he seems like a nice enough person. You might even like him."  
  
"I doubt that. I like very few people," Seth said. "They're usually idiots."  
  
"Then why are you being so nice to me?" Ankh asked.  
  
"Well, you might be one of the few exceptions. Since we were both magic users in the pharaoh's court, we worked together a lot. I admit, I thought you were just as stupid and useless as everyone else until you saved my younger brother's life. Numerous times, in fact. He became rather fond of you, and I always trusted his judgment, so I stopped telling you to shut up. And you actually had some intelligent things to say, unlike most people."  
  
"Oh," Ankh said. "Well I'm... glad you think so, I suppose."  
  
"Unlike that idiot Senui, who you have the misfortune of living with," Seth muttered.  
  
"What did he do?" Ankh asked.  
  
"He took all sorts of bribes, and ended up giving me a lot of trouble. He helped quite a few people try to control my power and influence," Seth said darkly. "A few times he even captured my brother, because he knew I wouldn't allow him to be harmed."  
  
"Ah..." said Ankh, who couldn't remember for the life of him. So he changed the subject. "How successful have you been in you plans to get your descendent to come and claim you?"  
  
Seth frowned. "Not very. I've almost gotten Isis to try to show him the pictures, but she's not very enthusiastic about it. Her will is amazingly strong. I might be able to get her to ask him once, but I think that's all I can do."  
  
Ankh considered for a moment. "I could give her a strong desire for him to see the pictures, if the Tauk's spirit doesn't mind."  
  
Seth looked surprised. "You'd do that? Even though you don't remember me?"  
  
"Of course!" Ankh said. "I don't like the way you treat Malik, but I know how hard it is to have a master you don't like. Besides, maybe without your power to draw on, the dark Malik would disappear."  
  
Seth smiled. "You're right, he might. Thank you, Ankhkare. You haven't changed much since ancient times."  
  
"Well... thank you," Ankh said. "I'd better go into Isis's mind while she's still asleep. Thank you for telling me... about everything."  
  
"No problem. I'm glad you're here Ankhkare. It's nice to have someone to talk to again after 3000 years. Come back any time," Seth said. The two friends smiled at each other, and then Ankh brought himself out of Malik's mind.  
  
  
On his way to Isis's bedroom Ankh ran into Scale, who was waiting for him. "And where are YOU going?" Scale asked.  
  
"Oh, Scale," Ankh said. "I'm just doing S- the Rod spirit a favor. You're up early."  
  
'No thanks to you, you parasite." Scale glared at him. "You made me just as tired as you were. Luckily, I pushed it all off on Shadi. And where are you going? Gonna pay Isis a visit in bed?" he leered suggestively.  
  
Ankh blushed. "No! Well, not like THAT. I'm going into her mind."  
  
Scale raised an eyebrow. "While she's asleep? Probably to change her mind about something, then. There may be hope for you yet."  
  
"Scale, go away and leave me alone," Ankh sighed.  
  
"All right. I think I'll go wake up Isis and tell her you're plotting against her with the Rod spirit." Scale grinned and started toward Isis's room. Ankh quickly caught his sleeve.  
  
"No, Scale!" he hissed. Scale turned and looked at him expectantly. Ankh's shoulders drooped at that look. "What do you want?"  
  
Scale sneered smugly. "Take me with you."  
  
"What!? Into Isis's mind? Do you think that's a good idea, considering how the last two or three spirits you've encountered reacted to you?"  
  
Scale shrugged. "I don't think I knew her. She's the only one who I can't remember, but I don't think there were many women I didn't please." He grinned smugly.  
  
Ankh rolled his eyes. "Did you worship the gods much?" he asked, thinking of what Seth had told him.  
  
"Sure, I made plenty of donations to the temples. I even visited a few times," Scale said. "What does that have to do with anything, though?"  
  
Ankh looked apprehensive. "I really don't like the idea of this..."  
  
"You think you have a choice?" Scale asked.  
  
"I suppose not," Ankh sighed. "But I really think you should reconsider."  
  
"Not a chance," Scale said, brushing off Ankh's worry. "Let's go, weakling."  
  
"All right, but you may regret this," Ankh said reluctantly. "Follow me and be quiet." He walked to Isis's door.  
  
"I'll talk if I want to," Scale said insolently.  
  
Ankh stopped, then whirled around angrily. "Listen Scale. I'm the one who can take us into her mind. You're just here because you're bored and you can't do much for yourself. I understand that no one wants to be around you, but I also understand WHY. You're just being difficult for the sake of being annoying. And it's getting on my nerves. Quit it." With one final glare, he passed through Isis's door. Scale stood there for a moment, then silently followed Ankh.  
  
On the other side of the door, Ankh was standing by Isis's bed. He sensed Scale come in and turned to him. He extended a hand to the other spirit. Scale recoiled a bit, looking at the hand as if it were covered in pond scum. Ankh frowned, grabbed Scale's arm, and dragged them into Isis's mind.  
  
  
Endnote: Well that was fun, wasn't it? Don't worry, the next few chapters are lots more fun. Go forth and review! Oh, and read The Clow Hatter's story, "Dog Days" because it's about Shadi and Anubis and Ankh and Scale. You must go read it because I command it! And Killing Perfection's "one Million Deaths," because that'll have Ankh and Scale in it too. Go read! 


	14. Goddess

Author's Notes: Sorry this and the last chapter were short. The next two chapters will be nice and long. More fun with Isis and Malik! And a little of everybody's point of view in this chapter. This is the point in the story where I changed the ending, as you'll see. I drew some more pictures for this story, but rather than list the URLs here, go to my author profile, click on my homepage, and go to the fanart section. There are a few. Oh, and much to Scale's disgust, I let Storm Elf borrow him and Ankh for his/her movie spoofs of The Mummy and Lord of the Rings. So go look at them! Thanks to Killing Perfection for those chocolate pixie stix! ^_^  
Ankh: Oh, and thank you for the pixie stix and the book... I thought I WAS being more assertive! I don't know how much more assertive I can be! Hmm... *goes off to read the book*  
Scale: *gets hit over the head with Tetsiguia* Ack! I'll get you for that, you fool! AND you, Indigo! Quit letting other losers borrow us!!  
  
Malik: Heh heh... Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh... But if you think she does, I can come over there and suck out your spleen to teach you a lesson... Where did that weird guy with the two Items go? I wasn't finished with him yet...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
"Eeyaugh!" Scale yelled, yanking his arm away as they appeared in Isis's mind. "Don't touch me, you disgusting leech!"  
  
"You wanted to come with me. I have to be in contact with a person to transport them. Don't complain so much," Ankh said calmly. The corridor they stood in had two doors, but luckily nothing on the other end of the hall. Both doors had ornate, elegant designs on them. The one on the right was dominated by an Eye of Horus. They were about to walk past the soul rooms into the unconscious mind when the door on the right opened. A woman who looked a lot like Isis except older, more slanted eyes, and richer clothing stepped out. She had Isis's elegant beauty with the poise of a goddess. Ankh jumped in surprise.  
  
"Quit it, you ninny," Scale hissed.  
  
"I'm... sorry," Ankh said. "I'm used to sensing people before I see them. I didn't feel you before you appeared."  
  
"You are not the only one who can hide your life force and aura, healer," the female spirit said. "I am Isis. I saw that you were coming. Why do you disturb this mind uninvited?"  
  
"He's being the Rod's errand boy," Scale sneered. Isis stared at him, unblinking, for a full two minutes. Scale blinked, looked around, stared back, and finally looked down under her unrelenting gaze. Then she looked back to Ankh.  
  
"Um... I'm here for Seth, the Rod spirit," Ankh said. "He'd very much like to be with his descendent instead of Malik. I was just trying to make your host determined to show him the Egyptian exhibit with the picture of Seth dueling the Pharaoh." He cast his eyes down and inclined his head humbly.  
  
"What's the deal with this freak?" Scale muttered.  
  
Isis stared at him once more. "The judge. You made some substantial donations to the gods. But you always mocked us behind our backs. And still, you have not learned manners. You are quite lucky that the healer was more conscientious and wishes for you to keep your life."  
  
"Who were you anyway, a priestess? A shrine maiden? You think you're so holy? You're all just fakes," Scale said.  
  
Ankh smacked his forehead. "How can you be so dense? This is the GODDESS Isis. Have some respect!"  
  
Scale's eyes widened as Isis stared at him once more. Then she turned to Ankh again. "Why should I allow this to be done to my host?"  
  
"We think if the Rod leaves Malik, his dark side will vanish as well," Ankh said. "I know your mortal would be much happier without that evil possessing her brother."  
  
"Isis considered for a moment. She stared into Ankh's green eyes as if looking into his very soul. "...Very well. But I shall be the one to do it. I will allow no one else into her unconscious mind."  
  
"Oh, of course!" Ankh said. "Thank you."  
  
"You trust her?" Scale hissed in Ankh's ear.  
  
Ankh looked at Scale, surprised. "Of course. She's entirely trustworthy. If you'd ever paid attention at the temples, you'd know that too."  
  
"What a gullible jellyfish," Scale muttered. Isis stared at him once again.  
  
"I think you should leave now," she said to them both. "Our mortals will be awake soon. And I believe Malik has already woken up. Judging by his plans, Shadi may regret sleeping so long. Or he may even become breakfast. So I suggest you go straight back."  
  
"Are you serious?" Ankh asked, paling.  
  
"You didn't see that neurotic meat-maniac. He'd do it," said Scale.  
  
"I guess we'd better go then!" Ankh said.  
  
"I will transport you straight back into the guardian's mind, and convince my mortal that the high priest's cause is worthy," Isis said. Then with a motion of her hands, she put Ankh and Scale back into their own soul rooms.  
  
  
As soon as Scale arrived back in his soul room, he heard Ankh's door open as the other spirit walked out of his room and began to knock softly on Shadi's door. Scale rolled his eyes at the futile attempt as he took a handful of pure white feathers and dusted off his collection of small gold weights.  
  
Suddenly, there was a noise from somewhere outside Shadi's mind. Remembering Malik, and wishing to have a host with all his body parts intact, he raced out of his soul room and over to Shadi's door, which Ankh was still knocking on.  
  
"Shadi you hamstrung flop, get up before that nutcase bites your ears off. Or worse!" Scale shouted, pushing Ankh out of the way and pounding on the wooden door a few times before opening it and kicking Shadi's bed, making him fall out.  
  
"Ow. What? What do you want, Scale?" Scale said sleepily, blinking at the angry spirit standing over him.  
  
"WAKE UP, YOU GOON!" Scale screamed.  
  
  
Shadi's eyes snapped open. Malik's narrow purple eyes were just inches from Shadi's, his mouth poised over the older Egyptian's nose.  
  
"Augh!" Shadi yelped, jerking his head away. Scale and Ankh, watching from his mind, echoed his cry. Malik's eyes flashed blue for a second, then returned to their normal violet, but rounder. He closed his mouth, looking confused.  
  
"What... am I doing?" Malik asked, bewildered.  
  
"Nothing, I hope," Shadi said feebly.  
  
"Yeah... no? ...I don't know," the disoriented boy said.  
  
"Do you remember anything?" Shadi asked carefully.  
  
"Mostly just recent stuff. I can't believe I did all that," Malik said quietly, sitting back on his heels and looking down. "And... oh eew, a mouse! I have to go take a shower!" Malik dashed off to the bathroom.  
  
Shadi yawned. /You two have been traveling, I take it? And I assume you did that?/ He re-wrapped his head in his turban.  
  
//Some. I think the Rod spirit helped too.//  
  
\\It was all this idiot. I told him to leave these freaks alone.\\  
  
/Yes, I would think so. Feeling rested, Ankh?/  
  
//Quite.//  
  
Isis came out in a silk robe looking rather surprised. "My brother is up before I am, and taking a shower?" she asked. "Thank you Ankh's spirit for me..." She went into the kitchen.  
  
/You didn't go to brag of your exploits, did you Ankh?/  
  
//No! The Tauk can see into the past as well as the future.//  
  
\\What a complete moron.\\  
  
"There is toast or cereal for breakfast, if you are hungry," Isis said. She gingerly carried the bloody cutting board and propped it against the bathroom door. "Please, come have something to eat." Shadi gave a nod of thanks and followed her. He made himself some toast and spread butter over it. "So where will you stay now that you've decided that it's most advantageous for you to stay in Japan?" she asked.  
  
"I decided no such thing," Shadi said, narrowing his eyes a bit.  
  
"Oh, forgive me," Isis said immediately. "But you must realize that since all of the Items are in this city, it would make the most sense to remain here."  
  
"Hmm... You're right of course, but I really don't like it here," Shadi said. "I would rather go back to Egypt. I can monitor the Items adequately from there, and I will not have to find a new place to stay."  
  
\\You're damn right we're not staying here! Don't even think about it!\\  
  
/Oh no, I wouldn't. I don't even much like visiting. I don't think I could stand living here./  
  
//That's good...//  
  
"If you think so..." said Isis. "The Tauk showed me a vision of you living here with your friend Pegasus, but it is occasionally wrong."  
  
Shadi shivered a bit at the thought of living in this strange country and finished off his toast.  
  
Just then the bathroom door opened and the cutting board fell. Shadi and Isis heard Malik shriek as it landed right on his bare foot.  
  
"Malik! I want that cleaned up NOW!" Isis called. With some resentful muttering, Malik brought it into the kitchen and began to scrub it over the sink.  
  
Isis finished off her glass of grape juice and put the cup next to the sink. "I have to go to work now. Shadi, I wish you luck getting back home. Malik, I know it's futile, but I wish you'd behave for once. I'll be back this afternoon, and I'd better not find any more animals..." She picked up her purse and lunch, and left.  
  
\\Get out of here before this freak cuts you open and eats you!\\  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to stay here," Shadi said, rather nervously. "I... should be going now."  
  
"Oh no." Malik put a hand on Shadi's shoulder, stopping him from moving. "You're not going anywhere. I'll just take those Millennium Items off your hands now."  
  
  
Endnote: More cliffhangers! Will Malik get Shadi's Items? Will he cut him up and eat him, and use the Ankh as a toothpick? You'll have to see! Two more chapters left so far! Review, please! Sorry about Scale's rudeness!  
Scale: That IDIOT!!! She keeps letting other stupid authors borrow us!! Besides The Clow Hatter and Killing Perfection, she's letting some unimaginative loser called Storm Elf use us! And now Killing Perfection's hitting me over the head, and giving that delusional fool Indigo and Ankh the wimp pixie stix and a book! Ha, as if that weakling COULD turn into me! He should be so lucky!! 


	15. Shadow Games

Author's Notes: Woo hoo, over 100 reviews! You guys rule! The last couple chapters were nice, but it was a bit of an overload of Ankh. So to balance it out, here's a definite Scale chapter! And I picked on him a lot, so I'll let him have some fun. Lots of fics where someone gathers all the Items for their evil purposes have Shadi either die or give up his Items without a fight. I think his sense of duty is far too strong to let him do that! He may act passive, but he's not that weak-willed! Oh, when Ankh said Scale's only talent was summoning Anubis, he wasn't quite right. Scale's also amazingly lucky at games (not quite a match for the Pharaoh, but close!), especially Shadow Games. And he's very talented at navigating the Shadow Realm. Someone said they didn't want this to end. Well, Ankh and Scale won't let it, at least not yet (they won't even let me write anything else! I've got a paper to write and another fic too! How do you people train your muses!?). But if you really want it to continue, I need ideas! And just because Ankh let Malik out doesn't mean that Yami Malik is gone! He's still very much here! I like Malik very much, but this is just how he is in this story. BakurasGirl66, I never actually planned to kill of Ankh! I couldn't have anyway. I like him too much! I guess you could compare having two spirits to having two brothers you had to share a room with... How horrible! Shadi's lucky that Ankh, at least, is nice!  
Wow Scale, I think you've made an enemy! How fun! ^_^  
Scale: Grr... I'll get that fool... YEAH, HEAR THAT? YOU'RE A FOOL!  
Down, Scale. Other people like you! Look what you got!  
Scale: Pixie stix? Hmm... *bends the paper containers and eats them whole* Kind of plain. Bleh, these are nasty! How do those losers eat these things? Oh wait, now they're good! Mmm! *goes to chase the running reviewers*  
  
Isis: You know perfectly well that Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I know you won't try to sue her for it. Except YOU. You might. But if you do, you will fail. Do you question me...?  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Shadi frowned at the dark boy. "I cannot allow you to take my Items."  
  
"Ah, I thought so. Then I challenge you to a Shadow Game," Malik said smirking. "Since I doubt you have any Duel Monster cards, and you probably wouldn't know how to use them anyway, we'll play something else." He pulled a deck of normal playing cards out of a drawer, yanked the tablecloth and everything on it off the table, and slapped the deck down on the table.  
  
/I don't know about this.../  
  
//Have you ever played a Shadow Game before? They can kill you if you're not used to the Shadow Realm. Please be careful!//  
  
/No... I've never played one before. When I was young, my father told me I was too weak-willed for one. But what choice do I have?/  
  
\\Shut up weaklings... Let me play the Game. I was always good at them.\\  
  
/I don't think that's a good idea. Especially considering your recent string of luck with the other spirits. Besides, too much rides on this game./  
  
\\You brainless tapeworm! You think YOU could do better!?\\  
  
"And what should we play... Hmm..." Malik mused. "Something to do with Egypt would be fun, since you seem so eager to get back there. How about... Egyptian Rat Screw?"  
  
/Oh no.../  
  
\\Damn!\\  
  
//Not that! That's the most confusing, complex game in existence!//  
  
\\Well then DO something, you rotting fishhead!\\  
  
Ankh did what he could to change Malik's mind, knowing that he might not be able to do it more than once. Luckily, it worked.  
  
"Or perhaps something more interesting. Like... Mao!" Malik declared gleefully. Ankh groaned.  
  
//That's even worse! It's impossible to be good at that game!//  
  
/I've never played that before. What are the rules?/  
  
//There aren't any reliable ones! One person makes them all up!//  
  
\\Mao!? That's my favorite game! I demand you let me play it! I'm an expert at it! Come on, let me take over!\\  
  
/Ankh said it's impossible to be good at it./  
  
\\And you BELIEVED him!? He has no luck or skill. If he'll just make the psycho agree to my request, there's no way I can lose. Now go mess with his mind!\\  
  
/I don't know --/  
  
"Well? Do you accept, or should I just take your Items now?" Malik sneered.  
  
\\Stop wasting time! Ankh, go make him listen to me. Shadi, get into your soul room, you useless dung beetle. Watch the master at work...\\ Scale quickly took over. Ankh reached out to Malik as Scale spoke.  
  
"I accept your challenge," Scale said through Shadi's mouth. Shadi's calm eyes had narrowed, but otherwise he looked mostly the same. "On one condition. I get to be Mao."  
  
Malik frowned for a moment. Then he grinned as Ankh influenced him. "Fine, but it won't help you." Ankh withdrew from the disturbed mind and settled back into Shadi's mind to watch. Malik shuffled the deck, dealt them each seven cards, and put the remaining deck in front of Scale. As they sat down, Malik drew on the Rod's powers and a pocket of the Shadow Realm rose around them. As it did, both of them changed appearances. Malik's blond hair stood up in huge spikes and his eyes lost their pupils. Scale's robe turned black and his turban and cape became red. The Shadow Realm brought out the true nature of whom each was controlled by.  
  
//Scale, I think I found something else while I was in there that you might want to hear about...//  
  
\\What is it, you barnacle? I don't have time for this!\\  
  
//Well... he doesn't really know how to play Mao. Seth made him suggest it. And he's making him think he knows how to play. He remembered that you played it a lot, and he owed me a favor. But you still may want to explain the rules.//  
  
\\... WHAT!? This guy's a complete idiot! Oh this is too easy! I guess you do have your uses!\\ Scale grinned to himself.  
  
"The obvious rules are simple. The card you lay down must be on either side of the card on the table, for example a seven on a six. You can lay duplicates down on each other, or you can lay cards by suite, such as a diamond on a diamond. And you have to obey the Mao's orders. First one to run out of cards wins. And when the game begins... talking is not allowed, except when the rules dictate," Scale said, wincing for a moment but quickly getting used to the Shadow Realm.  
  
Malik scowled. But then he grinned again.  
  
"...And the Ankh will know if you cheat. If you do, I win," Scale said. Malik glared at him.  
  
"Are you suggesting -" he started. Scale dealt him a card.  
  
"I said no talking." Malik looked outraged and pointed to Scale. Scale gave him another card from the pile. "Don't question the Mao." Malik gave him a murderous look and glared down at his cards. Scale looked at his own hand.  
  
//Maybe we DO have a chance...//  
  
\\Fool! Of course I'll win! How can I not? Don't question me!\\  
  
/I suppose so. I don't understand this game at all.../  
  
\\You're not supposed to, vulture vomit. That's the whole point!\\  
  
/...But Scale seems to be in his element here, so it seems we have a good chance./  
  
Scale considered for a moment before laying down the five of clubs on top of the starting card, a four. Malik laid the nine of clubs on it. Scale gave him a card.  
  
"Failure to greet the card," Scale said, grinning. Malik looked murderous. Scale put the queen of clubs on the nine. Malik thought for a moment, and put the jack of hearts on top. Scale gave him a card.  
  
"Incest," Scale explained. Malik mouthed 'What!?' "Jack on queen. That's incest." He gave the dark 'spirit' another card. "And don't question the Mao. Malik looked like he was about to explode. Scale was having the time of his life. He placed the ace of hearts on the jack. Malik frowned and tried to play a two, but as he did, Scale pushed another card into his hand.  
  
"Playing out of turn!" Scale said gleefully. He put down a seven of hearts. Malik frowned for a long moment. Then he tried to put down an eight. Scale stopped him and handed him seven more cards. "Failure to play a seven" Malik violently slammed down a seven and smirked. Scale handed him two more cards. "Failure to slap the stack. And don't be so violent!" Malik's eyes narrowed, but he still looked slightly confident.  
  
Scale looked at his cards, grinned, played the seven of spades, and looked up. Malik's smirk fell and he paled. He looked frantically through his large hand of cards. Then he reluctantly put down the five of spades. Scale merrily gave him seven more cards. "Failure to play a seven!"  
  
"I know! Shut up!" Malik snarled. Scale gave him two more cards.  
  
"Unnecessary talking, and insulting the Mao." Looking down at his two remaining cards, Scale saw that he couldn't play. So he picked one off the pile and played it. It was another five, so he slapped the stack.  
  
Malik played a six. Again, Scale didn't have anything he could do, so he drew and placed another six, slapping the cards. Malik grinned and played a third six, the six of clubs. He slapped the stack, leering at Scale. Scale merely handed him a card. "Failure to slap twice." While Malik was frowning, Scale looked at the stack again. Then he gave Malik six more cards. "...And this is for playing 666. And evil number, you know!" Malik was about to strangle him.  
  
Scale played the king of clubs on the stack and said "Pharaoh." Then, holding his last card, he said "Mao."  
  
Malik frowned, looking at his enormous hand. Then he played the ace of clubs. He sneered at Scale, who sat still. Then he played the ace of diamonds, slapping the stack and looking up again. Scale stayed where he was. Laughing a little, Malik played the ace of spaced and slapped the stack twice.k He paused, but Scale did nothing. Then he put down the queen of spades.  
  
Scale flashed Malik a full-blown grin and played his last card, the ten of spades. "I win." As Malik seethed with almost tangible rage, the bubble of Shadow Realm gradually disappeared. As it did, Malik's hair fell down again and his eyes regained their pupils. Scale's robes became white again, but both of their eyes remained slanted.  
  
//Wow, I never knew you were so good at Mao.//  
  
/I am rather impressed, Scale./  
  
\\Of course! Any idiot's good at it when they're the Mao, and of course, I'm the best. Did you think summoning Anubis was my only talent? I'm not useless like you two!\\  
  
/I'm glad you're satisfied. You did well. Now are you quite finished?/  
  
\\Not yet! I won. I want the Rod now!\\ Malik, having lost a lot of energy as well as the game, was breathing heavily, leaning on the table. But he quickly stood up and took a threatening step towards Shadi, who had taken his body back by force.  
  
"I'll take your Items anyway!" Malik declared. He advanced on the robed guardian, backing him into the wall. He very carefully slid the tips of his Rod around Shadi's jaw, leaving thin red lines in its wake. "Let's see how red you are inside..."  
  
Shadi couldn't move, but he flinched in anticipation of pain.  
  
Suddenly, Malik's purple eyes turned blue and he lowered the Rod. Seth's voice came from his mouth. "I still owe you, Ankhkare. You may want to leave now."  
  
//THANK YOU!!!//  
  
/Augh... No need to yell, Ankh./ "Thank you," Shadi told the Rod spirit. Then he gathered Ankh and Scale's power, drew on Anubis, and quickly sank intot he floor.  
  
  
Shadi rose back into his home in Egypt and breathed in the hot, dry air, grateful to be home again. /How anyone can stand to live there is quite beyond me.../  
  
//It's too crowded there. And the people are unfriendly. And it's so cold!//  
  
\\I hope they all rot forever in their own nasty, stinking filth...\\  
  
/Hopefully we won't have to go back any time soon. I believe those were the most eventful two days of my life./  
  
//It was only two days!? It felt like weeks!//  
  
/Yes, it did. And I'm worn out. That's partially your fault I think, Ankh./  
  
//Sorry...//  
  
/It doesn't matter. But I'm going to get some sleep without having to worry about being cut up... or bitten... or whatever Malik would have done./ Shadi walked over to his pallet, put Ankh and Scale beside it, and flopped down. Still having Ankh's leftover exhaustion, he fell asleep quickly.  
  
Though Shadi didn't quite realize it, his spirit was sucked into a corner of the Shadow Realm known as the Graveyard. Ankh and Scale soon followed. Blinking, they found themselves in a very crowded area. They stood in front of thousands of men, and a few women, dressed similarly to Shadi. He recognized a few, and made his conclusion based on them.  
  
"The past guardians..." he said softly. Scale narrowed his eyes and Ankh looked rather frightened.  
  
  
Endnote: That seemed a lot more fun while I was writing it... I changed the beginning a little when I typed this, because I realized that Malik didn't know what he was doing. Mao's a really fun game when played with a large group, and when the Mao doesn't play. There are some standard rules, but most of them are made up each time. Here are the ones I used here: Greet nines. Jack on queen (and vice-versa) is incest. 666 is evil. No talking, no questioning or insulting the Mao. Ace skips the next person's turn. Say "Pharaoh" when playing a king. If the person before you plays a seven, you must play a seven or take seven cards. When you have one card left, say "Mao." And you must declare your victory when you win. 


	16. Past Guardians

Author's Notes: Whew, I should make a separate chapter just for notes... Glad at least some of you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Mao's meant to be confusing. It's so fun if you have a lot of patience and intelligence, and a good memory, though! It's a real game, I learned it last year.   
I'm going to make some trouble and conflict for everyone this time! Not a lot of humor here, but there's a nice bit towards the end that you may not appreciate except in hindsight. This is the longest chapter yet! And I think it's really good, too! Rejoice at my hard labor! I used the tomb guardian Sadin from Forbidden Memories as the model for the leader of the guardians. Shadi proves how amazingly cool he is in this chapter. Oh he rules so much! I know the carving didn't really show the Rod, but let's pretend, shall we? I'm off to take exams now, and after that I'll be home for about four and a half weeks. I'll have to work for most of that time, but I'll still try to update once in a while.   
Mmm, thanks for the chocolate, Saki and Ayrrie! And the er... "typoes" correction...  
Scale: Eew, the reviewers are hugging me! How disgusting! *goes to scrub himself clean, but sees a pile of presents* Hmm, a deck of cards... That's good, I think my last deck rotted away a few hundred years ago. And is that flower-number person giving me more strange things? *shakes the big plastic pixie stick, whacks the wall with it, and bites the end* Bleh, she's trying to choke me... Wait, here's some more of that sweet stuff! Mmm! *goes off to bounce around his soul room... and Ankh's... and Indigo's... breaking many things in the process*  
Ankh: *dodges Scale* Oh, thank you! I'm getting a whole library here... Hmm... *goes off to read, locking Scale out of his soul room*  
  
Shadi: Indigo does not own any part of Yu-Gi-Oh except some cards, a poster, a CD, some stickers, a video game, and a bit of manga that she cannot understand. And if she would like to borrow Ankh and Scale for an extended period of time, I would not mind in the least. But please do not attempt to sue her, or she may use Scale against you. In one way or another… However, if you would like to borrow Ankh and Scale for a story of your own, she is not likely to say no. And I appreciate the new turban, my old one was getting a bit stiff...  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
The crowd of ghostly guardians gathered around Shadi. Some argued loudly while others merely stared at him. Ankh and Scale moved almost imperceptibly to put Shadi between them and the crowd. Then a quiet but demanding voice behind them spoke, causing all three of them to turn, and silencing the crowd.  
  
"My sons, here is the guardian of this time," the voice said. The speaker looked quite a bit like Shadi, but his eyes were green, his robes and turban were black, and he had a neat, graying beard and mustache. Ankh and Scale quickly moved to put Shadi between them and this man, while being careful not to get too close to the crowd. Shadi ignored his nervous spirits and bowed respectfully to this man, who he assumed was the leader and probably the first guardian.  
  
"Young one, you have been called here to decide the matter of succession," the man said. Shadi didn't consider himself as young as this man made him sound, but compared to how old the others looked, and their archaic clothing, Shadi was very young indeed. "Since you have no children or other living relatives, you must choose another to carry on when you have journeyed to meet Anubis. It must be someone who currently or previously held a Millennium Item." He fixed his penetrating gaze on Shadi. It was much like Shadi's own stare, but far more unnerving.  
  
"Do you… expect him to die soon?" Ankh asked timidly.  
  
The whole assembly fell deathly silent. All the past guardians glared at Ankh, who wished he had never spoken. A tall man with thick black eyebrows stepped up closer to Shadi. Ankh shrank back and Scale carefully kept far away.  
  
"Don't you know how to keep your own Items in line? When they were mine, they knew who was in charge. Especially that one. What are you doing wrong? Items have no right to ask questions, or to speak at all! Have a spine for once, son!"  
  
Shadi sighed quietly and rolled his eyes slightly. "I have no interest in using your… methods… for anything. Except Scale occasionally. But with all due respect, I've done much more than you ever did. So please leave me and my Items alone." He turned back to the leader. "I believe that either the Puzzle's owner or the one who possesses the Tauk would do well. The others… are far too easily influenced by the spirits of their Items."  
  
A very tall, thin man spoke up. "You let such weak people hold the Items?"  
  
"If they were not strong enough, or not meant to hold the Items, they would have died or gone mad," Shadi said calmly. But then he thought about Malik, and began to doubt his own abilities and worthiness. Perhaps he was just as easily influenced as Malik, Ryou, and Pegasus.  
  
Ankh, sensing his host's self-doubt, took a step closer to him and whispered, "He'd be worse off if you took the Rod away now. Don't feel bad, you're a hundred times the guardian any of them was."  
  
Shadi's father stepped up to Ankh menacingly. "What the hell got into this thing? Shut your mouth, ankh." While Shadi used "Ankh" and "Scale" as names, they sounded like mere objects coming from his father. He raised his hand as if to hit Ankh, and the spirit flinched away.  
  
Scale had been keeping quiet, knowing it was safer that way, but now he was getting mad. "Listen you disease-ridden flea! We're not yours anymore, so bug off. You're dead. Get over yourself!"  
  
A number of other guardians joined Shadi's father, looking violent. Scale backed into Ankh. Shadi frowned and stepped in front of them. "I realize that my Items are annoying, but there's no reason for this behavior. As he said, they are MINE now. So if I believe they need to be dealt with, I will be the one to do it." Staying carefully between his spirits and the angry mob, Shadi turned back to the leader. "I assume that you know a bit about the owners of the Puzzle and the Tauk. Which would you recommend, Elder?"  
  
The ancient guardian frowned thoughtfully. Scale and Ankh were reluctant to remain directly in his line of sight, but even more reluctant to step out of his way and closer to the others.  
  
"The choice is yours, guardian. We shall see how well you judge," said the elder neutrally.  
  
Shadi nodded, pondering his choice. "I believe that Isis Ishtar, who holds the Tauk, would make an excellent guardian. She is very conscientious and responsible. Her family has guarded the Items in secret since they were created. She has every characteristic anyone could expect of a guardian."  
  
There was some muttering among the others. Many of the men didn't like the idea of a female guardian. The few women in the crowd voiced their approval, as did some of the more tolerant men.  
  
The leader cleared his throat and the others fell silent. "A wise choice, I believe." Some of the others muttered, but none dared to contest his judgment. "However, your competence as a guardian has been questioned, as has your mastery of your Items. How do you respond?"  
  
"Almost all of the people I chose have been well-matched with their Items," Shadi said.  
  
A short old woman stepped up. "Almost? That isn't good enough. How do you explain the man who held the Eye? Or the boy who still has the Rod?"  
  
Shadi glanced at Scale for a moment. Scale swallowed and shook his head, but tried not to let the others see his movement. Shadi turned to the crowd. "Both of those instances were the Scales' spirit's fault. I have since learned to control him more effectively, and I assume full responsibility for his actions, of course. The Eye is now held by a new person, the same boy who holds the Ring. I went immediately to make sure everything was in order when I sensed it change hands. The Ring spirit is very ambitious, but I have reason to believe that his host will at some point gain more influence over him. The great balance was not terribly upset, and it will quickly fall back into place."  
  
Shadi's father looked disgusted. Still weak-willed… And the Rod? What about that boy?"  
  
Shadi opened his mouth to say something, but his father interrupted. "Well? What's your excuse?"  
  
Shadi glared icily at his ghostly father. "Let me speak, and I'll tell you. I went into his mind to see about it. The Rod spirit isn't cooperating with him, or even paying attention to the boy because he wants a different host, his descendent. Eventually, I'm sure he'll succeed. And that should be a much more suitable match."  
  
"Did you do anything to get the Rod to its more suitable host?" a very quiet, average-looking guardian asked.  
  
"Well… I believe Ankh did something about it," said Shadi, glancing at Ankh, who looked like he really didn't appreciate all the eyes suddenly on him again.  
  
"You allow your Items to act independently?" the same guardian asked doubtfully.  
  
"I admit they're sometimes incompetent, but they can be very useful on their own if they want to be," Shadi said.  
  
"Tch… I doubt it," said a young guardian with long spiky black hair. "What could that useless weakling possibly do?"  
  
"Actually, I'm not sure what he did," Shadi said. "But if you'll allow him to speak without trying to lynch him, I'm sure he'll tell you." Ankh sometimes annoyed him, and Scale usually did, but the way the others were treating them really got under his skin.  
  
The other guardians muttered amongst themselves, but reluctantly agreed. Ankh spoke, just as reluctantly. "I just… made sure that the host the Rod spirit wants would be shown the ancient carvings of the Rod spirit dueling the Pharaoh. They look identical, and the carving shows him holding the Rod, so it should make the boy of this time want to acquire the Rod."  
  
The crowd began to mutter things like "What nonsense," "The nerve!" and "Back in my day, Millennium Items knew they should be seen and not heard!"  
  
"Silence!" the leader thundered. Ankh and Scale jumped back, nearly knocking each other and Shadi over. Shadi flinched, then fought to keep his balance as his two high-strung spirits collided with him. The others fell silent. "Although I highly disapprove of the Items speaking and acting independently, I believe that you have been performing your duties well." Shadi bowed respectfully. "The Scales are too weak to cause any real harm to the cosmic balance. And it seems that over time you have learned to manage both of your Items more effectively… I suppose. So I hereby drop any doubt as to your worth as a guardian. However, the Ankh and the Scales must be punished, and taught to know their place again."  
  
Ankh and Scale looked frightened. The past guardians were all voicing their agreement. Some yelled out suggestions, like "Throw them to the minions of Set!"  
  
"Quiet," commanded the first guardian. "He makes a good point. They are his now. So he should be the one to discipline them." The two spirits looked at Shadi fearfully.  
  
"Of course," Shadi said. He thought for a long moment. His calm gaze did little to reassure Ankh and Scale, since he always looked like that. "Will beating them and using Scale's power against them be enough?"  
  
The crowd agreed in approval, surprised that he would suggest something so acceptable to them.  
  
"That will do," said the head guardian. Scale looked scared and betrayed. Ankh looked hurt and about to faint from fear. "Now go, wake from your sleep and carry out this task." He raised his hand to Shadi, who disappeared to wake up back in his home.  
  
Ankh and Scale stood petrified between the sward of guardians and their leader, afraid to move or even follow Shadi. The first guardian frowned at them. "Begone, parasites," he said, and they too disappeared.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
As Ankh and Scale reappeared in their physical human forms, Shadi sat up. They looked at him with a mix of uncertainty and fear. He simply stared at them for a moment. "I arrived first, it seems." Ankh and Scale stayed silent, confused. To their surprise, Shadi did something they had never seen him do before. He grinned. "…So I believe I've beaten you both."  
  
"WHAT!?" Ankh and Scale exclaimed simultaneously.  
  
"Scale's luck probably had something to do with all of us getting away unharmed. So that would complete the requirement of using his powers against you."  
  
Ankh and Scale stared at him, wide-eyed. Both of them slowly walked toward him. Scale seized Shadi's turban in both hands and began to shake it violently. Ankh threw his arms around Shadi's neck.  
  
"How could you DO that to us!?" Scale screeched.  
  
"You're the best friend anyone could ever wish for!" Ankh said, almost crying in relief. Since Scale was making his head hurt and Ankh was making him choke, Shadi didn't answer for a minute.  
  
"Ack… argh… let go!" Shadi choked, prying Ankh off his neck and pulling his head away from Scale. He took a few deep breaths. "You didn't think I'd take any suggestions from THEM, did you? If I ever start acting even remotely like that, you have my permission to hit me. I can't imagine how you survived with any of them."  
  
"Barely," Ankh said with a weak smile.  
  
Scale whacked Shadi across the top of his turban. "Don't EVER pull something like that again, you freak!"  
  
Shadi shrugged slightly. "If I had not suggested that, they would have likely given you to Set's ravenous beasts." Scale muttered halfheartedly. "Now, thanks to them, I'm feeling quite generous towards you both at the moment. Come, why don't we go to the market and see if we can find some chocolate." He stood up and beckoned for them to follow him outside.  
  
Scale's eyes lit up, and Ankh smiled. "Mmm, I haven't had chocolate in ages!" Ankh said, excited.  
  
"You'd better have a lot of money, because I plan to buy every piece of chocolate in town!" declared Scale. "The expensive stuff first! Let's go!"  
  
  
  
Endnote: Okay, anyone who really thought Shadi was going to hurt Ankh and Scale, go walk to Anubis yourselves. You don't even deserve to be sent! Yeah, I know you guys thought so. You know who you are! Get walking.  
Shadi's father wasn't abusive to him or anything just loud and overbearing. On the other hand, all of the guardians treated Ankh and Scale quite badly. And any other Items they might have had, because some had others. Let's just say that until Shadi, the nicer ones completely ignored them.  
This is not the end! I have more! Not a lot, but some. Including a fun mini-chapter for Tuesday, so don't miss it!  
  
Scale: Rrg! Indigo let ANOTHER fool borrow us! I'll kill her for this! Now she's letting Jaid Skywalker put us in one, maybe even TWO of her stories! What's with these stupid authors!? Why on earth would they want to use anything that moron Indigo created? So go read Jaid Skywalker's story(ies), and laugh at her incompetence in portraying the greatness that is me! She'd better think of who I remind her of SOON! I have no patience for idiocy! 


	17. An Interlude

Author's Notes: This is just something I thought of a while ago, with so many people pointing out that Shadi isn't good with relationships and doesn't have any friends… It ran from there. I thought this would be fun, and a nice change! Yep, Shadi and I got tired of how this fic was slowly spiraling downward, so I let him end it where he wanted to, not before I tortured him some…  
Shadi: ...I already got a new turban... But I suppose more cannot hurt...  
Ankh: ^_^ Thank you!  
Scale: *shakes the bottle of anti-hug spray and drenches himself in it*  
*Shadi, Ankh, and Scale get buried in chocolate and a few other miscellaneous things* Mmph!  
  
Scale: By Thoth… What is this crap? This is worse than before! I'm not even gracing this by assuming that ANYONE might still think Indigo owns Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm getting out of here! *Indigo grabs him before he can run*  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo: An Interlude!  
  
  
Indigo: Well, we all needed a little break from the story, and some more humor in our lives, so here it is! First I decided to have a little fun at Shadi's expense. He really doesn't deserve all I make him go through. It's great that he's so patient!! And Ankh and Scale are fun to mess with too. Wow, they're so popular… So now I present to you, some examples of things NOT to ask Ankh, Scale, or Shadi about!  
  
Indigo: Here's a nice letter for Shadi…  
  
"Here's my problem. Hypothetically, let's say girl A likes boy B. And boy B likes girl A a lot too. But now girl A thinks she likes boy C too, and she doesn't know if he likes her. What should she do?"  
  
Shadi: …Excuse me? What? I… really wouldn't know. I don't understand why you're asking ME. I do not understand these matters of love.  
  
Indigo: All right, well let's see if anyone else can do better…  
  
Scale: Want my opinion? I don't care! Take 'em both at once, or shut both of them in a cursed tomb… Why do you even ask these idiotic questions?  
  
Indigo: Okay… Well then, let's keep the responses to the person who was asked. Here's one for Ankh.  
  
"What's the best way to stab a person effectively?"  
  
Ankh: *gulp* Stab someone? Why would you want to do that?  
  
Scale: Move it, wimp. If you want a nice easy stab, you have to start low and stab up into the soft --  
  
Indigo: No one asked you, Scale! You'll get your turn! Here's your question.   
  
"What's the best anniversary present to give your significant other?"  
  
Scale: What the hell? Don't give presents! But demand chocolate for yourself! Lots of it!  
  
Indigo: Well… Anyone who got something helpful out of that needs to have his or her head examined. Hope you enjoyed my writer's block breaker! Our fun little gallivant into madness for the day… Ankh and Scale aren't always the most cooperative muses… *glares as them* Though I'll admit, they can inspire one hell of an English paper…   
  
  
CHALLENGE TIME! Okay, you people really seem to like using Ankh and Scale for your own strange, dark purposes! I'm extremely flattered, though Scale feels less generous about it… So I've got a challenge to those of you who are feeling brave.   
  
Write a romance fic with AT LEAST one of these characters as a main character: Ankh, Scale, or Shadi. In any pairing, yaoi or het. Just no incest, that's nasty. And no original characters besides Ankh and Scale. I know that makes it hard for those who don't like yaoi, but hey, there's Isis, Mai, and Serentiy/Shizuka to pick from. Or even a card, if you really want to. If you pick Tea, I'll yell at you. You can make it a steamy lemon if the need strikes you, and if you do I'll read it, but I prefer the nice sweet little romances. Heh… Bonus points if you use Scale, and make it sweet while still keeping him in character. Or Shadi, for that matter. Don't forget him!   
  
Notify me if you write this, and I'll go look at it. If it's bad, I'll tell you so! (I say that now, but you know I won't!) Or more likely I'll tell you how awesome you are.   
  
The winner…. Gets my equivalent of the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card. Ask anything in my power, and you shall receive it. Within reason! 


	18. The Shadow Realm

Author's Notes: I turned to my Forbidden Memories game for Shadi, Ankh, and Scale's monsters. The first few times I dueled Shadi, he used almost nothing but penguin cards. The other two I just like a lot. I couldn't find pictures online, but I drew some great pictures of them with Shadi, Ankh, and Scale. They'll make more sense and be funnier after you read this, so I'll put them at the end.  
So glad you all like this so much! I feel so special! Heh… When we were younger, my best friend told me I couldn't write. Guess I showed THAT fool! Oh by the way, doesn't the title remind you of some deal you'd see on a restaurant's menu? That's what I named it after. ^_^  
Seena, sure, just hindsight feelings are fine. Wow, don't write 5 whole chapters! Unless you really want to! Bit of an overachiever, aren't you? Yes, Shadi IS hard to do things for. I had to practically make him a personality just for this... He's almost as bad as an origional character!  
Ah, to have muses... It's nice at first. Then if you have more than one they start to fight and give you conflicting ideas. But they really do end up being helpful in the end. At least most of the time. ^_^ Ankh and Scale kind of just wormed their way into their positions as muses. I had intended to drop them after this story, but they had other plans. I'm not sure when I got my Yami (Indigo), but I named her when I was 12, I remember. She's just the ideal me. She used to have purple and green hair and purple and green eyes, but she's gotten a bit more reasonable since then.   
Oh I wish I could help Seth… Maybe I'll be able to do something for him later.  
And aeryn, if you even read this far, the Key's just what they call the Ankh in the dub! So if you're going to correct me, at least make sure that YOU'RE right.  
  
  
Ankh: Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Although she might do a better job with it than the American dubbers… I mean really! The Millennium Key? Whose idea was that? And Shadi and I are only in one episode... Poor Scale doesn't even show up at all after the mythical "first season"!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
It had been a few weeks since Shadi got back from Japan. A while ago he, Ankh, and Scale had sensed the Puzzle break again. It made them all very dizzy, so they could only imagine what it did to the Pharaoh's spirit. But after only a few minutes it was put back together. Since it was only scattered for a short time, the Pharaoh's new memories remained intact, though some grew a bit blurry around the edges.  
  
Ankh kept hoping to feel the Rod change hands, but it hadn't so far. Still, he was optimistic.  
  
Nothing else had happened lately. They had all had a strange dream a while ago that some anonymous entity had asked them each a ridiculous question, but it was of no importance.  
  
One day Shadi was leaning against the wall polishing his golden Items when the bowl on the alter of the gods at the other end of the room burst into flames. A vague shape appeared in the fire as Shadi looked on in surprise. It spoke in a gravelly voice that sounded a bit like either a recording or a well-practiced speech.  
  
"Guardian, once every 50 years the Shadow Realm must be checked to make sure there are no openings for the monsters to escape through. Your Millennium Scales will be able to take you in and out of the dark plane. You will find a group of weaker monsters ready to help you in your task when you enter. Go now," the flaming creature said in ancient Egyptian. Then the fire flared up and vanished.  
  
/Well, I suppose we have something to do now…/ Shadi put his polishing cloth away, slipped the Ankh around his neck, and picked up the Scales.  
  
\\My Scales had better be shiny enough to see my face in!\\  
  
/Not unless you come out. Oh, and why, pray tell, must the guardian of the Millennium Items concern himself with the Shadow Realm?/  
  
//It has something to do with keeping the Pharaoh's memories safe, I think.//  
  
/And you've done this every fifty years?/  
  
//I haven't done it very many times…//  
  
\\I have to go with the moronic guardian every time. It's so boring. And annoying. Some creepy hairball always latches on to my Scales!\\  
  
/Well, all right. Scale, should I bring anything with me, or do anything to prepare?/  
  
\\No, it wouldn't help you anyway. In fact, you're beyond help.\\  
  
//Scale, be nice! I seem to remember it being a bit cold there…//  
  
Shadi went and got a cloak to put on over his robe. /All right Scale. Take us to the Shadow Realm, I suppose./  
  
Scale yanked Shadi quickly into the Shadow Realm. This was not like summoning it around himself to play a Shadow Game in; going to the Shadow Realm to wander around was a different experience altogether. Ankh had been right, it was rather cold there. Like the desert in the early morning. It was shades of dark gray and black all around him. In the distance, a large group of… something… was moving towards him.   
  
/Why don't you two come out?/  
  
//But it's cold!//  
  
/If you're in your spirit forms, you won't feel cold./ Shadi gave them a "push" and both Items glowed and spat out their spirits.  
  
Ankh clasped his Item instinctively. "This place makes us completely substantial. But it isn't very cold at all."  
  
Scale glared at Shadi. "That's no reason to make us come out in this place! What's your problem, camel face?"  
  
Shadi pointed at the group of things moving towards them. "I think THAT is about to be a problem. Besides, you two can take care of yourselves rather than always hiding in your Items."  
  
By this time they could see that the mob moving toward them was made up of small, weaker monsters. Still, there were a lot of them. They quickly surrounded Shadi, Ankh, and Scale.  
  
"You coward," Scale said in disgust. "They're no threat. They always come to help check the Shadow Realm."  
  
"They do?" Shadi asked doubtfully as a purple Penguin Soldier began to nibble on his robe. "Just how much 'help' are they?"  
  
"Do you have any idea just how huge the Shadow Realm is? Did you expect to search it all yourself? Pay attention once in a while! Even fifty people would take ages to check over every inch of the Shadow Realm!" Scale said, irritably pushing a dark brown fuzzy monster with large green eyes off his turban.   
  
Meanwhile, Ankh was busy watching a bizarre little thing bouncing all around him. It was a multicolored creature with long thin legs, a huge head with charms hanging from it, and not much else. It stared at Ankh with its enormous eyes as it sprang around him.  
  
"All right. Well… how can they help me?" Shadi asked. Scale sighed in frustration.  
  
"Watch and learn, nimrod," Scale said, rolling his eyes. Then he turned and raised his voice to the monsters. "Hey you! Split up and look for holes out into the light world! If you find any, fix them! Don't you dare go out there!"  
  
Immediately, the monsters scattered to do what Scale said. With three exceptions. The Penguin Soldier kept nibbling lightly on Shadi's robe. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic, which looked like a demonic Kuriboh, had once again made its way onto Scale's head. And the reedy, multicolored, spell-caster, the Lucky Trinket, was still hopping around Ankh.  
  
Scale glared darkly at the furry fiend on his head. "Aren't you going?" The little creature squeaked at him. The Penguin Soldier gave a short quack. The Lucky Trinket hopped up to Ankh's head, hung its face down in front of Ankh's, and made a high trilling sound like a metal xylophone being played very quickly.  
  
"I can't understand exactly what they're saying," Ankh said, gently pushing the monster's head back up. "But I get the idea that they want to stay."  
  
Scale looked enraged for a moment, but then he rolled his eyes again. "Sure, why not. It doesn't even matter. Because I absolutely LOVE FURBALLS ON MY HEAD!!" he screamed sarcastically. He shook his head violently, trying to dislodge the Wretched Ghost of the Attic. The little monster dug its claws into his turban.  
  
"There are enough of the others to search the whole Shadow Realm," Ankh said. The Lucky Trinket had settled on his shoulder and was gawking at Shadi and Scale now.  
  
Shadi nodded. Then he bent down and quickly pinched the sides of the Penguin Soldier's beak. "Stop that." He straightened up again. "So explain to me why I am cold and you two seem perfectly comfortable."  
  
"We're practically creatures of the Shadow Realm ourselves, you poor excuse for a sentient being!" Scale said, annoyed. The furball on his head was now purring contentedly.  
  
Ankh nodded. "We might as well get comfortable. I think this well take a while." He sat down. The Lucky Trinket latched on to his shoulder and trilled, but then settled down again. Shadi sat, and the Penguin Soldier tried to bite the Scales at his belt. Scale aimed a kick at the bird, but it only hit the outermost feathers on its back. Shadi clamped his hand over its beak and stared into its eyes. It withdrew its beak reluctantly.  
  
Scale sat down as quickly as he could, hoping to knock the Ghost off of his head. It squeaked, but held on. It snuggled into his turban and started purring again.  
  
"Aw, Scale, that's so cute," Ankh said, smiling.  
  
Scale growled. "Shut up, you poof." The fuzzy fiend on his head squeaked in agreement. Ankh didn't try very hard to supress his giggle.  
  
Shadi brought his knees up to his chest and pulled his cloak tight around himself. "So how long will this take, Scale?"  
  
"You idiot, time passes differently here. It could take two hours, two days, or two years," Scale said. The Wretched Ghost squeaked agreement again. Scale frowned and vehemently threw his head around. The creature held on tight and gave a squeaky little laugh when he stopped. Scale put a hand to his forehead and moaned in a combination of frustration and a headache.   
  
Ankh was holding the Lucky Trinket, tickling its feet and stroking its head. "The times I came, it only took a day or so."  
  
Shadi nodded. "Perhaps your presence made the monsters work faster, or at least understand their orders better." Suddenly, the Penguin Soldier closed its beak over Shadi's hand. They stared at each other for a moment. It didn't hurt, but it was absolutely unexpected. Shadi considered for a minute, then shrugged and let his arm relax. The penguin quacked happily and gently nibbled Shadi's hand. Ankh watched this uncertainly, wondering about his dear host's sanity.  
  
  
  
Shadi, Ankh, and Scale spent an indeterminable amount of time in the Shadow Realm. They couldn't tell when it was day or night, but it felt like a few days. They wandered around a bit with the three friendly monsters making sure they didn't get lost. They never felt hungry, but they did sometimes get thirsty. The Penguin Soldier brought them bottles of… something… to drink. It didn't taste like much of anything, but it wasn't bad. The other two monsters were more interested in snuggling or playing than being very helpful. Ankh loved it, Scale was extremely annoyed, and Shadi merely tolerated it.  
  
  
Endnote: Here's a picture of Shadi and the Penguin Soldier: http://indigo.1afm.com/images/shadipenguindraw.jpg  
Here's Ankh with the Lucky Trinket: http://indigo.1afm.com/images/ankhtrinketdraw.jpg Ankh gave me no end of trouble, but I'm so happy with how he turned out! I even gave him new clothes! He looks great. Although his hair's a bit too dark, I think.  
And finally, Scale and the Wretched Ghost of the Attic: http://indigo.1afm.com/images/scaleghostdraw.jpg Scale looks cool too! These pictures are definitely better than the firs tones I drew.  
  
This chapter had a lot more physical humor than verbal, unlike most of the rest of the story. Here's where it's still fun but I realize that there's really not much point anymore. Yes my friends, the end is near. If I hadn't stopped, Shadi would NOT have been happy. And he and I have an agreement, so he must be kept happy. Erm… One more chapter, and it's really short. I'll keep watching for chances for Shadi to do more. In the meantime, maybe Ankh and Scale can help me with some OTHER things… Like that Bakura story I didn't get very far in… *sigh* I'm going home today, and I'll be there for over 4 weeks, so if I don't update much of anything for a while, that's why. I can read your stories! Can't wait!! ^_^  
  
Scale: *entranced by the shiny, pointy things put in front of him* I have so many plans for these... *picks up the knife and tries to lick it like a cool and evil anime villain, but only succeeds in cutting his tongue* Ow! Damn defective knife... Damn reviewers... First they give me nasty things to eat, then they try to choke me, now they're making me cut my own tongue... Ow.  
Ankh: Um... Thank you for the tea and herbs... and hot tub-thing, though it's quite hot already... But I may not live long enough to appreciate them! *sees Scale writing in pain, having cut his own tongue* Oh. Never mind, then. *goes to heal Scale*  
Shadi: Actually, this extra clothing will be of great use to me later... unless of course Scale decides to cut us all up in our sleep, in which case it will do me no good whatsoever. *calmly watches Scale nearly cut off his own tongue* Or he may cut HIMSELF up first. Please refrain from giving Scale dangerous weapons, in either case... 


	19. MAKE IT STOP!

Author's Notes: Sorry about this, but Shadi decided to do what I should have done and MAKE IT STOP! I got him a few times before he could, though. Poor guy… ^_^ Why does everyone think their reviews are so bad, boring, stupid, or demented? They aren't! Well, a few are, but that's mostly just people who read no more than one chapter, and are fools anyway. But you guys rule infinitely! I love you all! ^_^  
I'm so pleased people are actually going to try my challenge! I know I made it hard on you. The only one who seems like they could be romantic at all is Ankh, but I know you guys will do well! So far the pairings I've seen are Shadi/some female (Seena won't tell me!), Ankh/Scale (Can't wait to see that, Chibigreen Tanuki!), and Scale/Serenity (wow Crossover Authoress, that's gotta be the weirdest one I've ever heard of. I'd like to see how you do it!). Oh, and Scale/Box of Chocolates (Unrealistic, that may be the most reasonable pairing I've seen yet. No, not what I had in mind, but hey, more power to you if you want to!). I inspire such weirdness! It's great! You people rule.  
  
Scale: Thank Ra Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Look at what she'd do with it! And look what she's getting OTHER people to do with it! This is disturbing! I'm being paired with at LEAST two itiotic weaklings. And an inanimate object! However delicious it might be... Indigo's such a freak. You know, she felt sick the other day. Perhaps she'll die and I can leave!  
Ankh: Scale! Be nice to Indigo and the others! Just think, you may never have to do a disclaimer again!  
Scale: Hmph, I doubt it. She'll probably have me doing disclaimers for her pointless rants next...  
Indigo: Ooh, that's a good idea, Scale! Thanks for the suggestion!  
Scale: Grr....  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
After some extended amount of time, all of the other monsters returned, obviously finished checking. A little blue demonic-looking creature came up and let out a high-pitched roar. The Lucky Trinket hopped off Ankh's shoulder and trilled. Then it jumped back to Ankh and trilled in his ear.  
  
"Well, I suppose they're finished," Ankh said.  
  
"Any idiot can tell THAT, frogface!" Scale said. The Lucky Trinket gave a warbling growl.  
  
"I don't think there were any holes," Ankh offered.  
  
Shadi sat up and pulled the cloth of his turban out of the Penguin Soldier's mouth, rewrapping it over his longish black hair. "Then we're finished?"  
  
"Looks like it," Scale said. "Now can we LEAVE?"  
  
"I don't suppose we could… bring just these three with us?" Ankh asked hopefully. The three monsters quacked, trilled, and squeaked plaintively.  
  
"No, that would not be wise," Shadi said, giving the purple penguin a sidelong glance. "But they're all weak, common cards. They would be cheap to buy, and we can all bring cards to life and send them back here at will."  
  
"Okay!" Ankh said enthusiastically. The monsters were equally happy, especially the Wretched Ghost of the Attic.  
  
"Great, just what I need…" Scale muttered. "Let's GO."  
  
"Gladly," Shadi said, shivering a bit. "It's cold here." The Lucky Trinket and Wretched Ghost hopped off of their friends.  
  
"Great Thoth, do you EVER shut up!?" Scale hissed. "I'll show YOU cold." He jerked them back out of the Shadow Realm.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Suddenly Shadi was freezing cold. The three of them opened their eyes to see nothing but whiteness as far as the eye could see. They were standing in some sort of freezing white… foam, or something. The whole ground was covered with it. The sky was such a light gray that it looked white as well.  
  
"Wh… what's this? This isn't Egypt! This isn't sand!! Where are we? What happened!?" Ankh asked, his voice getting more hysterical with every word. He backed quickly into Shadi and darted back into his soul room.  
  
"Scale, what did you do?" Shadi asked sharply. Scale was glancing around nervously.  
  
"I didn't do this! It's your fault, you made me think about cold. You don't just automatically come back to the same place you came from when you go to the Shadow Realm! I don't even know what this stuff is!" Scale quickly went back to his own soul room.  
  
//This is the end! We're all going to die! It's the apocalypse! We've entered the Anti-Shadow Realm! Whatever I did to deserve this, I'm SORRY! Please make it stop…// Ankh was crying hysterically.  
  
/Calm down you two./ Shadi told them, clenching his cloak tightly around his shivering body. /I've heard of this. It's called snow. It's lightly frozen water, no cause for alarm. Judging by the amount, I'd say we're at the North Pole or somewhere like that. Let's do a transport ritual, shall we?/ It might be dangerous with Ankh and Scale having trouble concentrating, but anywhere had to be better than here.  
  
//Yes, PLEASE! Let's get out of here! I don't like this! This much water shouldn't freeze! It's unnatural!//  
  
\\Hurry it up, you shivering lump!\\  
  
Teeth chattering, Shadi tried to concentrate. He sank into the whiteness…  
  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
…and came up again enveloped completely in frigid water. Panicking for a moment, he quickly got himself in the right mindset, trying not to breathe, and sank into the sea floor.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Coming up once more, Shadi was relieved to see that he was right outside of his own town. It was evening, so he quickly walked home, soaked to the skin and shivering. When he got home he clumsily lit a fire and spread out all his wet clothing, putting on new dry clothes. He left the turban off to let his thick hair dry, though. Ankh and Scale were "breathing" hard, and their teeth were chattering. They felt the cold acutely through their frozen host.  
  
Pausing from rubbing his arms, Shadi forced Ankh and Scale out of their Items. "Ankh, go get some money. Both of you go to the market and buy those cards you wanted. No candy."  
  
"Shadi… Are you all right?" Ankh asked hesitantly as Scale growled at him softly.  
  
Shadi sighed. "I'm perfectly fine. Or I will be once I thaw out. I'm just rather fed up with life at the moment. I'm taking a break, and I don't care who says otherwise. I refuse to leave this town OR this plane of existence unless the great balance is SEVERELY disturbed. Now go leave me alone for a while." He turned back to the fire, not intending to say another word all day, if not longer.  
  
Ankh nodded, took some money, and walked up the stairs. Scale muttered "What a loon…" before Ankh stopped to grab his ear and pull him outside after him. His pain-filled cries of anger followed them into the deepening night. Shadi sneezed violently, and sniffled a bit. He pulled a blanket around himself and scooted closer to the fire. Damn life. Damn fate. Damn gods!  
  
Shadi sneezed again, and disgustedly wiped his hand on the edge of the blanket.  
  
  
  
Endnote: Well Shadi and I seem to agree about the general fate of this story. My, he can be quite pushy when he wants to be! With good reason, of course! I was about to be very unhappy with this, so that's it for now. Until I see more for Shadi to do. So… Not that this hasn't been lots of fun, but… bug off! Go read my other stories! They're at least as good as this, I promise! And let me know when you get started on those romances. Heh heh…  
  
Oh, and if it's not too much trouble, could you let me know what pairings you're using and what you want if you win? And by request of Unrealistic, yes, I suppose inanimate objects are allowed. I'd prefer another person, but like I said, do whatever you want! But like I said, no origional characters (besides Ankh and Scale), and that means no self-inserts either! And no incest. Or Tea. Or Rebecca, for that matter. Or Suguroku/Solomon. You get the picture, I think. But please don't change your pairing now if you already had something in mind!   
And another thing. If you happened to stumble upon this fic way after I finish it and want to do this, by all means go ahead! I still want to see! Thanks! ^_^ 


	20. Tombs

Author's Note: Whew, it's been a while since I wrote for Ankh, Scale, and Shadi! I missed this story so much! That being the case, let me know if they get out of character. It's tough writing for them when I was just writing for Bakura and Ryou a few days ago. Also, I don't mean to copy The Clow Hatter, Seena, Baby Winter, or anyone else, but I did use a couple small ideas of theirs. But c'mon, Shadi can meditate in anyone's story! And Scale always leaps at the chance to mock Ankh. Oh, and let's pretend Shadi's town is near the Valley of the Kings, shall we?   
By the way, Baby Winter, it is so AMAZINGLY cool that your yami has a crush on Scale. I would think I'd be offended by such a thing, but for some reason it's the coolest thing in the world. I'm not sure Scale shares my enthusiasm for it, but who knows...?  
Cat, how long have you had your muse? When I first "hired" Ankh and Scale, they were pretty out of control too. But I worked with them a bit and let a whole bunch of people borrow them, and they're much better-behaved now. Most of the time...  
  
Scale: Oh look, some more losers have been writing about us… Baby Winter just decided to stick us in her story. I only read the last chapter, but it looked bad. Chibigreen Tanuki's writing a shonen ai about me and that weakling, Ankh. But I haven't even come into the story yet. And she's being slow! Rrg, I'm sure she'll mangle my character as much as your American dubbers. Crossover Authoress is trying to stick me with Serenity in her fanfic. It's coming along faster, but that's not a good thing! I don't want to be stuck with a stupid mortal!! If she makes me mushy, I'll go over there and stab her with one of those sharp things Yami Li gave me… And Seena's writing a stupid romance about Shadi and Cecelia. What a sick freak I live in! She's DEAD, you moron! And none of those fools participating in the lame challenge Indigo issued even asked for anything. I guess that means they don't GET anything! Ha, not like they deserve even a grain of sand for the crap they write... Can any of you other losers think of anything to write about us? And where's that pairing of me and a box of chocolates, huh?  
  
Ankh: Scale, stop criticizing people so much! They're all really wonderful stories! Indigo and I were very impressed with them, and you would be too if you had any sense. Well, you all must know by now that Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh and never will. She owns me and Scale, though.   
  
Scale: Ha, that's what she thinks! I'm just biding my time…  
  
Ankh: Scale, if you don't stop that I might have to tell them something REALLY… interesting…   
  
Scale: Ha, you've got nothing on me, you warped cross.  
  
Ankh: Should I go find Yami Li…?  
  
Scale: Grr… Go away, maggot-fodder. Leave me alone.  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!!  
  
  
Shadi was meditating. He attempted to clear his mind to achieve inner peace. Because Ra knew there had been no outer peace lately…  
  
"Ow! Scale, stop poking me!"  
  
/Deep breaths… Think on the greatness of the universe…/  
  
"Come back here, you pin head! I'm not finished yet!"  
  
/Earthly problems are insignificant. They make no difference in the grand scheme of things./  
  
"No! NOOO! Stop it!!"  
  
/On the great scale of the universe, this does not matter…/  
  
"Let me go! Hey! What was that about me, hog dander?"  
  
Shadi opened his eyes, giving up on meditation for the moment. Ankh was lying on the ground, cringing as Scale pulled a lock of his long green hair. Scale stood over him trying to take his turban back, since Ankh had pulled it off. His wild mass of spiky black hair almost covered his face.  
  
"Both of you let go," Shadi said, getting up with a sigh. Ankh let go and Scale reluctantly did the same. Ankh stood up and Scale re-wrapped his turban around his head. "Apparently you both need more to occupy your time. Fortunately, I have just such a thing for you. The unmarked tombs near the Valley of the Kings have not been checked in years. Both of you can walk over and make sure that they all remain covered, unentered, and unharmed. Look in on the more public tombs as well, while you're there."  
  
"All right," Ankh sighed dutifully.  
  
"Not a chance, lunkhead! That's too low and boring a task for me," sneered Scale.  
  
"Of course, I could call your Wretched Ghost of the Attic out of its card to accompany you. I'm sure that would make the trip far more exciting…" Shadi suggested, putting a hand to the Ankh as if to do just that.  
  
Scale growled to stop him. He followed Ankh towards the door. "May demons possess your earrings!"  
  
Shadi shrugged, unperturbed. "They already possess my Items."  
  
Scale glared at Shadi. "May kangaroo rats nest in your turban!" he shot back before leaving.  
  
Shadi pondered for a moment which would be worse: small rodents infesting his turban or Scale.  
  
…Definitely Scale.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Ankh and Scale made a wide circle, passing by every tomb. When they were almost finished, they saw a small swarm of people entering the Valley of the Kings with excavation gear in tow.  
  
"Look Scale, Egyptologists!" Ankh exclaimed, shielding his eyes against the afternoon sun with one hand and pointing with the other.  
  
Scale gave a short, derisive laugh. He bent and scooped up a stone from the ground. "I'll bet I can hit that fat one's head," he said, tossing the rock up and snatching it out of the air.  
  
"No Scale, don't!" Ankh said quickly, grabbing the other spirit's arm and making him drop the rock.  
  
Scale yanked his arm away in disgust. "Why not? Because 'it's not nice'?" he asked in a high voice, mocking Ankh.  
  
"Yes. And because we don't want to attract attention to ourselves. You know Shadi doesn't like us getting into trouble," Ankh said, glancing worriedly toward the Valley.  
  
"You're just Shadi's little toady. Why'd I get stuck with you, anyway?" Scale asked, kicking some sand at Ankh.  
  
Ankh gave him a rare dark look. "I've often pondered that myself. Probably because anyone else would have strangled you centuries ago. You don't have to be so nasty all the time, Scale," Ankh said seriously.  
  
"Oh, so I could be more like YOU?" Scale asked sarcastically. "Who'd want to? You're so sickening and boring, I could gag! No wonder you cling to Shadi like a leech! Even HE'S stronger than you are!"  
  
"At least I'm not an obsessive… out of control… neat freak! Why are you always trying to pick a fight with everyone, Scale?" asked Ankh, who was starting to get mad.  
  
"Because you deserve it!" Scale declared, pushing Ankh off the sand dune they were standing at the top of. Unfortunately for him, Ankh instinctively reached out and grabbed the nearest thing to keep himself from falling. This, of course, was Scale's arm, so the two of them went tumbling down the especially steep sand dune together. Ankh screamed at first, but then kept his mouth tightly shut. Scale shouted a continuous stream of ancient curses, getting a great deal of sand in his mouth. After what seemed like an eternity, they suddenly found themselves falling through a hole in the sand.  
  
The two landed on hard stone ground, still holding on to each other. Ankh landed on top of Scale, whose back slammed into the floor, broken slabs of stone, and sand.   
  
Ankh gasped in horror. "Oh Scale, I'm sorry! I didn't mean any of it! Are you all right? Hold still, I'll help you!"  
  
Scale gave him a death glare. "I'm not some weak mortal. I turned insubstantial as I hit the ground. Now get off of me, you lummox!"  
  
Ankh blinked and quickly got up. Scale did the same, carefully brushing himself off. He walked over to the wall where he saw some carvings, and Ankh followed him. Ankh saw that Scale's gait was altered, as if his back hurt, so he silently placed his hand over Scale's back and healed it.  
  
Scale whipped his head around as he felt the pain disappear. He gave Ankh a suspicious stare before turning back to the wall. "This is OUR pharaoh. Look at the hair," he said, pointing to the carving on the wall.  
  
"Oh, you're right! Look, this one must be me. And there's Seth. And the Eye Spirit, too. There's the first guardian, Sadin. I think he did something important at the funeral. Scale, is that one you?" Ankh said enthusiastically.  
  
Scale stared at him for a long moment. "Now that we all KNKOW each other…" he muttered, turning back to the wall. "Ha, look! They carved the Pharaoh as tall as the rest of us here! That shrimp was barely up to my chin!"  
  
"Scale, he was our Pharaoh. Show some respect," Ankh said softly, glancing around.  
  
"What are you afraid of, ostrich knees? Look at him, what a pathetic fake," Sacle said, flicking the carving with his index finger.  
  
"Well… you're right, he WAS a lot shorter. But he was vain, too. He would have wanted to be thought of as tall and regal instead of…"  
  
"…Shorter than a midget with his legs cut off?"  
  
"I wasn't going to say that!" Ankh said indignantly.  
  
"But that's what you meant," Scale said, smirking in satisfaction.  
  
"Well… yes…" Ankh admitted, smiling slightly. "What's that next part? It's so worn…"  
  
" 'Whosoever entereth here…' Just the standard curse, I guess. Look, there's a light. Let's get out of here," Scale said, quickly losing interest.  
  
"We could just go back to Items," Ankh suggested. Scale shot him a glare and disappeared… Or he tried to.  
  
"Why isn't it working?" Scale demanded.  
  
"We're on sacred ground… Maybe there's a ward against that type of magic," Ankh said with a shrug. "I guess we'll just have to walk. It doesn't' look far." So they started walking.  
  
…Twenty minutes later they were still walking. "Not far, huh? I'm so glad we have your expert advice to guide us. I feel SO much better with you and your ideas around," Scale spat.  
  
"I said it LOOKED close. I guess I was wrong," ANkh said defensively.  
  
"Egghead…" Scale muttered.  
  
"Do you know anything about curses or protection spells on tombs?" Ankh asked.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do," Scale said haughtily. He thought for a moment. "This was the 'going backward to go forward' type. From one of those people who thought he was smart and funny. Just walk backwards and we'll be out in no time."  
  
"But what about pits or hidden switches?" Ankh argued.  
  
Scale gave him an enigmatically evil grin. "Ah, well you'll have to leave that up to faith. Feeling lucky today?" He turned his back to the light and began walking. Ankh was worried, but he hurried to catch up. After walking backwards side by side for a few minutes, they saw light coming from behind them. Scale turned and Ankh did the same. They were looking out over the town from a foothill of the nearby mountains. As they got to the cave's mouth however, a booming voice stopped them.  
  
||WHOSOEVER ENTERS THIS SACRED TOMB TO MOCK RA'S GREATEST INCARNATION SHALL LEAVE THIS HALLOWED CATACOMB A FAR LESSER MAN THAN THE PHARAOH!||  
  
A great, supernatural wind came up from deep inside the crypt to sweep Ankh and Scale outside.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Shadi was lying on his roof, reading an Egyptian history book. He liked to find all the inaccurate parts. He, of course, knew Egyptian history and 'mythology,' as they called it, better than any mortal outside the Ishtar family, who had been involved with the ruling class of Egypt at least as long as the guardians. The blazing sun made most places very uncomfortable, but Shadi had found a nice spot in the shade of another building.  
  
Shadi had just gotten to a ridiculously wrong part of the book when he heard a distressed young voice call his name. He looked up in surprise. He hadn't realized that any young children would even know his name, much less call it in that tone. Shadi went to the edge of the roof. Two very small children looked up at him with huge blue and green eyes. The sun glinted off of the Ankh and Scales they carried.  
  
  
  
  
Endnotes: Aww! If anyone is a good artist and could draw chibi Ankh and/or Scale (or perhaps Shadi), that'd be great! I can write for chibis to some extent, but when it comes to drawing, I'm chibi-challenged.   
Oh, if you want to write a story about/including Ankh and/or Scale, I'd be flattered beyond words, and I'd love to see it.  
Sadin is the name that Forbidden Memories uses for the guardian in ancient Egypt.  
Thank you for all the chocolate, books, T-shrits, sharp objects, flamethrowers, water... Sleeping pills, hugs, kisses, more pointy things, and other firey implements of destruction people sent to me, Ankh, and Scale. Some of us appreciate our presents. And some of us don't appreciate other peoples' presents!  
Also, if anyone hasn't gone to visit my newly posted rants yet, they can be found at http://indigo.1afm.com/shadishrine.html and will be updated weekly as usual, starting this week. Be sure to visit! 


	21. Chibis!

Author's Notes: Yep, chibis! This will be fun. I think you'll be surprised at what Scale's like, actually. I won't type with chibi speech-impediments though, because it's really hard to understand and rather annoying. But imagine them speaking however you think they would. And of course, this will affect Scale's insults quite a bit… ^_^ Ooh, and a couple of Shadi/Isis stories are being schemed. I always thought that might be a good couple. Let me know when you get to those! And absolute ruler, go ahead and use Ankh and Scale! I'd like to see what you write with them!   
Thanks for telling my about my broken Rant, Crossover Authoress. I think it's working now. Don't listen to Scale, Ankh and I can't wait to see more of your story! ^_^  
Wow, lots of… affection… for Shadi and Scale there! Hee hee… *sits back with Ankh and watches the other two dodge hugs from all directions*  
  
Shadi: I appreciate the aspirin. Be assured, I shall need it… *looks at the box of homemade chocolates* …Thank you. *gets kissed, blinks in surprise*   
Ankh: Oh, thank you for the healing potions! I haven't seen this kind before. And these snacks look good! ^_^  
Scale: Laser-shooting… Daggers!? Heh heh, I'll have fun with these… And… No! What kind of moron would give me a stuffed Wretched Ghost of the Attic!? *growls* I hate that furball… *fights off the hug* Ack! No! Get off! Bleh! Ha, I'm far more powerful than any muse of ANYONE'S! *escapes Jaid Skywalker's hug, only to be grabbed by Yami Li* NOOOO!!! Off! Get away from me!! Not even chocolate and knives are worth this!! *tries to use laser-shooting dagger, but it is useless in this case!*  
Indigo: Gah, no! Not pink! Ooh, but I need to ward off writer's block demons…  
  
Scale: *finally escaping all his admirers* Eck… Disgusting… I'll have to scrub for hours to get all that off… Indigo doesn't own anything! So go away!  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
For a moment, all Shadi could do was stare openmouthed. "What… happened… to you!?" he finally exclaimed, looking down at them from his place on the roof.  
  
Both small spirits started talking at once.  
  
"Scale was being mean!"  
  
"Ankh's a stupid-head!"  
  
"He pulled me and --"  
  
"He grabbed me and --"  
  
"And then we fell…"  
  
"And Ankh was stupid again…"  
  
"And -- No I'm not, Scale! And he made fun of the Pharaoh and I did too but only because he made me…"  
  
"And there was this cool spell!"  
  
"And we had to walk backwards."  
  
"And then this voice said we were in trouble for teasing the Pharaoh --"  
  
"It was scary!"  
  
"No it wasn't, you're just a sissy."  
  
"And then there was this weird wind --"  
  
"And we had to walk back because we couldn't remember how to go back to our Items," Scale finished, making a face. Shadi looked at them for a moment, then jumped quickly and neatly down to the ground.  
  
"All right, well I can draw you into your soul rooms. Perhaps you'd better stay there until this wears off. And it had better wear off quickly…" Shadi's Ankh and Scale glowed, and both small spirits disappeared into their Items. Suddenly Shadi felt strange. More emotional, less controlled and focused, and much… shorter.  
  
\\I don't want to go to my room! You're mean and ugly, dung-head! You smell, too!\\ Scale screamed so savagely that Shadi could feel his malice.  
  
Shadi couldn't help himself. He sat down hard and started crying softly in frustration. /Scale… you're so MEAN to me! Leave me alone!/  
  
Ankh didn't know how to get out of his soul room, but he managed to do it anyway through sheer will, dragging Scale with him. As they appeared next to him again, Shadi felt himself grow taller and in control his emotions again. He saw no reason to have been crying, and wiped the tears off his face, a bit confused.  
  
"Are you okay, Shadi?" Ankh asked, climbing up on Shadi's lap and looking into his host's calm eyes, his little forehead wrinkled in concern.  
  
Scale looked very surprised. "I didn't think it would make you cry! I was trying to make you mad, not sad."  
  
Shadi studied Scale for a moment. "It's… all right," he said, not without a hint of reluctance. "When you went into our shared mind-space, I became a child as well. So I suppose you'll have to stay outside like this until I find a way to return you to normal."  
  
Scale's face lit up. "Good, it's boring in there! Can we get some chocolate now?"  
  
Shadi looked at him uncertainly. "I'm not sure if that's a very good idea…"  
  
"Please, Shadi? I promise I'll be good," said Ankh, looking up at him with wide, impossibly cute eyes.  
  
"It's not you I'm worried about," Shadi said, lifting Ankh off of him so he could stand up.  
  
"I'll be good too," Scale pouted.  
  
The two spirits turned their irresistible eyes on Shadi. Although this didn't affect him as much as it did other people, Shadi knew it was useless to resist. "Fine," he sighed. Ankh and Scale started jumping up and down, shrieking with glee. "But only a small amount. And NOT the most expensive kind, this time. Stay close to me, and don't bother anyone."  
  
"Okay!" Ankh squealed. Scale nodded so hard his turban almost fell off. As they walked toward the market, Shadi was grateful that their clothing had shrunk with them.  
  
Scale kept running ahead and then waiting for the other two to catch up. Ankh walked beside Shadi, but he obviously wanted to go run with Scale. It seemed harmless enough. "Go with Scale if you wish. But don't lose sight of me," Shadi told Ankh.  
  
Ankh gave him a huge smile. "Thanks Shadi!" He ran to catch up with Scale. Shadi continued his even, steady pace.  
  
Scale found a piece of paper on the ground as they were nearing the market. He looked at it, then showed it to Ankh, who shook his head. Then he ran back to Shadi.  
  
"What does it say?" Scale demanded. Shadi took the paper and looked at it.  
  
" 'To Parents/Guardians,'" Shadi read. Ankh and Scale listened attentively, though Scale looked skeptical. " 'Your child(ren) will be participating in a science experiment on Monday. Since we will be working with highly corrosive acid, we ask that you please sign this form to show that your child(ren) has permission to join us in this activity.'" Shadi looked up. Ankh looked slightly worried, and Scale looked positively thrilled.  
  
"Can you sign it so we can play with acid?" Scale asked eagerly.  
  
"What in the name of Horus are they doing to children these days?" Shadi muttered to himself. "No Scale, this is for someone else, not us."  
  
"But you're the guardian, right? I don't wanna ask any other guardian," Scale said, making a face.  
  
"Not… that kind of guardian, Scale. Put it back where you found it, let's keep going."  
  
Scale glared at him. Usually Scale's glares inspired complete indifference from Shadi, but this time he teasingly pushed Scale's turban and continued walking. "Besides, I'm not going to fish you out of any vats of acid." Ankh giggled and followed Shadi. Scale growled and crumpled up the paper, throwing it at Ankh.  
  
Shadi led them to a small general store. "Here. Each of you pick one thing from these shelves," he said, indicating the candy section. As the two miniature spirits dove in, Shadi looked as well. He picked a small bag of candy-coated chocolate off the shelf. " 'Fun size.' Does being exceptionally small make it more… fun?"  
  
Scale looked up from the five-pound bag of mini candy bars he had found. "That's dumb. Bigger ones are more fun."  
  
Shadi shrugged. "Oh, and that's far too large. Just one chocolate bar or small bag of candy."  
  
"Like this Shadi?" asked Ankh, holding up a chocolate bar that claimed to be full of caramel.  
  
"Yes, that will do," Shadi said. Ankh smiled sweetly.  
  
"Suck-up…" Scale muttered.  
  
After much heated negotiation, which consisted mainly of Shadi saying 'No,' Scale picked out a smallish box of chocolate-covered cherries. Shadi paid for his spirits' candy, plus a package of chocolate wafer-cookies and a bottle of aspirin for himself. Just looking at Ankh and Scale, he could feel a headache coming on.  
  
As they left, the cashier said, "Sir, your children are just precious!"  
  
"Oh. Are they?" Shadi asked, surprised. Perhaps most people would have taken that as a compliment. Oh well…   
  
Ankh and Scale opened their candy as soon as they got outside. Scale put two chocolate-covered cherries in his mouth and ran off. Ankh took a huge bite out of his candy bar and chased him with a cry of, "Scale, don't run while you're eating!" Shadi followed, calmly nibbling on his sugar-wafers.   
  
The two spirits devoured their chocolate, though Scale saved one cherry for later. Charged with energy, they zoomed around in front of Shadi who, as always, was unperturbed.  
  
When they arrived in front of Shadi's home, Scale took out the cherry he had saved. It was sticky and melting, but he held it triumphantly out to Ankh. "Ha ha! I still have chocolate and you don't! Look, I think I'll eat it NOW!"  
  
Ankh looked at it longingly. "Can I have some?" he asked.  
  
Scale grinned. Just what he wanted, someone to torture! "No!" he said gleefully. He held it high above his head and started dancing in circles around Ankh. "You can't have it! You can't have it! You --"  
  
Suddenly the sticky, melted chocolate fell through Scale's fingers to land on the ground. Shadi arrived just in time to see it. Ankh and Scale froze, looking at it. Then Scale burst into tears.   
  
"Sh…Shadi! Ankh made me drop my last cherry! It was my last one, and I saved it, but then I dropped it!" He ran and threw his arms around Shadi's legs, crying into his host's robe.  
  
"I didn't make you drop it! You were teasing me again! Don't be mad, Scale!" Ankh said. He tried to dust off the fallen candy, but it was a lost cause. He picked it up and offered it to Scale, but the sobbing spirit pushed him away.  
  
After many attempts to get Scale to let go of him, Shadi picked up his darker spirit. Scale immediately wrapped his arms around Shadi's neck, getting him all sticky. But Shadi ignored that for the moment and carried him inside, with Ankh right on his heels.  
  
Shadi sent Ankh to get some water and a cloth, mostly to give himself a little bit of space. He managed to pry Scale off of him so he could wash the spirit's hands and his own neck. By this time the short sugar rush had worn off. The sun had set and Ankh and Scale were very tired. After trying quite a few sleeping arrangements, Shadi gave up and let them snuggle up next to him. He drew on Scale's powers, formed form his near-obsessive cleanliness, to make their clothes clean again. Scale twitched in his sleep as the chocolate disappeared from his robes.  
  
/Perhaps they'll be back to normal tomorrow./ Shadi thought before he drifted off to sleep as well. /I'm not used to this, and I really don't know if I can stand it for too long…/  
  
  
  
Endnote: Whee, chibis! I want one! ^_^   
Just so you know, since he was educated in ancient Egyptian law, Scale can probably read hieroglyphics better than anyone else around. But he can't read the modern language, which is why he needed Shadi to read the note to him.  
Oh, and anyone who does not review will be condemned to spend an eternity with Scale. And Ankh can tell you, it won't be fun! Except the weird ones like Yami Li and Jaid Skywalker, who will be forced to spend eternity WITHOUT Scale.   
  
Scale: Oh Ra, no… 


	22. Scrolls are Useless

Author's Note: LOTS of notes today… Well now I know how to squeeze the reviews out of you. Wow, that was quite a potent threat! ^_^ Just think of that next time you don't feel like reviewing.   
Would anyone object to Ankh and Scale being called by their real names (Ankhkare and Senui) for a while? I don't know about for the rest of the story, but just a little bit? And we'll see about after that. Let me know how you feel about it, and what you'd like in the long run.  
Now's as good a time as any to describe how Shadi, Ankh, and Scale fit together. I don't see Shadi as a "light" the way I see Ryou and Yuugi, and even Malik. He's just not particularly light-like. Nor could Ankh be seen as anyone's dark side. So I see Scale as the Yami, Ankh as the Hikari, and Shadi as the… Kage, I suppose? The Shadow between darkness and light.  
Wow, I have a male reviewer! Cool. ^_^ And here I thought all I had was a bunch of fangirls! Ooh, let's all stare at Sapphire… Nah, but I'm glad you like it!  
Heh… Shadi did make a pretty good parent, but he may not be quite as good at it in these next couple chapters.  
Hmm, how much would you give me for them, Tatsuhime…? ^_^ (Chibi Scale: HEY! You can't get rid of us! I don't want to go with any of those scary people!) Heh, just kidding. ^_^ They're not for sale.  
Unrealistic, I can't wait to see that Scale/Box of Chocolates fic. That could be very interesting. ^_^ And I hope you remember your suggestion soon!  
  
Chibi Scale: *starts mixing dangerous chemicals that Avalon gave him, planning to pour them on chibi Ankh, but they spill into the sand* Hmph… *eats the one chocolate-covered cherry from Avalon instead* *also grabs the chocolate-covered cherries from Seena and Chibi* I'll weigh your soul later. I'm eating now! Mmm, SilverShadow got me more chocolate. And stuffed animals. Ooh, more weapons and chocolate from Yami Li… Mmm… Heh heh… *swings the safety-sword around, but suddenly shrieks* I don't wanna get whipped or have a dog collar on! Leave me alone! (Indigo: C'mon, he's just a little kid! None of that!)   
  
Chibi Ankh: Oh, thank you for all the chocolate! ^_^ Here Scale, you can have some! *gives about half to Scale* And thank you for the hug too. And the CD player, but I don't think Shadi has any CDs! Neither do I. That's okay, though! And thanks for all the chocolate-covered cherries, Seena and Chibi! Mistletoe from Li and her Yami? Hee hee, thanks! ^_^ Actually, Indigo might do something like that later on. But not really. I'm glad you like me, Yami Nikki! ^_^ Scale's not so bad once you get used to him. Ooh, more chocolate from SilverShadow. And… Stuffed animals! *shrieks in delight*   
  
Shadi: Li, I appreciate the chocolate, medicine, clothing, shoes, fan… and referral to a psychiatrist. I may need it… *gets the hug and peck on the cheek* Um… Thank you, I suppose… And SilverShadow, I appreciate the headache pills and earplugs, though I hope they will not be like this long enough for me to need a nanny… *hands High Crystal Guardian some of his aspirin*   
  
Indigo: Warning #1: Sibling rivalry, or something like it. Warning #2: Becoming a chibi has really brought out Scale's human side. I've been trying to think of him as a person, not just a mean spirit, and here's the perfect way to do just that. Warning #2.5: Scale is… NICE!? Talk about disturbances in the cosmic balance… Oh, and Warning #3: Slightly strange situations towards the end. Oh, and no I won't bonk Scale on the head. He's being so good! And he's cute too. ^_^  
  
Chibi Ankh: Indigo won't ever own Yu-Gi-Oh, and she didn't before either. But she owns us, and now we've got enough chocolate and fun stuff to last forever! ^_^  
  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
Shadi woke up with two small, warm bodies a bit closer than he was accustomed to . Ankh was snuggled into his side, holding his arm like a stuffed toy. Scale lay across his chest, sucking two of his own fingers. Despite Shadi's best attempts to slip out of his spirits' embrace undetected, they both woke up quickly.  
  
"Mmm? Sorry Shadi," Ankh said sleepily, sitting up and letting go of his host's arm, rubbing his eyes.  
"At least no one had an… accident… during the night," Shadi said uncomfortably. Ankh nodded in relief.  
  
"Eew, only babies do that," Scale said, wrinkling up his nose.  
  
"…Perhaps. Only mortal ones, anyway," Shadi said. "I suppose you'd like some breakfast."  
  
"Yes, please," Ankh said with a smile.  
  
"Now!" ordered Scale.  
  
Shadi sliced some bread for the three of them. He spread some peanut butter on it and handed two slices to each spirit. Ankh ate enthusiastically and relatively neatly. Scale ate quickly, somehow managing to cover the ground in crumbs while keeping himself immaculately clean. And Shadi ate slowly and calmly.  
  
After Shadi cleaned up after them, he got out his ancient scrolls of magic. He left his spirits alone until he felt a sharp kick in the shin. He looked up, frowning at Scale, who was staring insistently at him.   
  
"What are you doing?" Scale demanded.  
  
"Reading the ancient scrolls." Shadi responded, looking down to read again.  
  
"What scrolls?"  
  
"The ones telling of magic."  
  
"What kind of magic?"  
  
Ankh spoke up eagerly. "I can make hurts better with magic, wanna see?"  
  
"Shut up, scarab breath. What magic?" Scale asked again. Ankh pouted slightly.  
  
"The kind of magic that can turn 3000-year old spirits into children," Shadi answered, not looking up.  
  
"Why? So you can do it to the Pharaoh and the high priest and the tomb robber and them?" Scale asked, extremely interested.  
  
Shadi looked up and stared at him for a long moment. "No. So I can change you two back."  
  
"Aw, you're boring," Scale muttered.  
  
"I do not recall ever claiming to be exciting. And would you like to stay this way forever?" asked Shadi as Ankh climbed up to sit on his lap and peer at the scroll he was trying to read.  
  
"It's more fun. Most of the time," Scale said, glaring at Ankh, though Shadi couldn't see why. "It's not fair…" Scale muttered darkly to himself, turning away.  
  
"…What's not fair?" Shadi asked, confused at Scale's strange behavior.  
  
"Him!" Scale shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Ankh, who looked just as surprised as Shadi. "You always wear his Item around your neck and listen to him and talk to him and let him sit on you and stuff. I'm smarter and cleaner and better than him!"  
  
Shadi blinked in surprise. Was THIS what all Scale's aggression was about!? "Scale you are welcome to sit where you like, provided no one else objects. I've told you before that the Scales are far too large and cumbersome to wear around my neck. But if you're capable of being civil, then I'd be perfectly willing to talk and listen to you. I know very well how clean and intelligent you can be."  
  
Scale almost smiled, and scrambled up into Shadi's lap beside Ankh. Having studied ancient Egyptian law, he was by far the best reader of hieroglyphics in this time, and one of the best in his own era. Ankh prompted Shadi to read the scroll out loud, with Scale making frequent corrections.  
  
After the second long scroll he read like this, Shadi decided it was time for a break. Maybe children weren't as bad as he had feared, but he could only take so much of them. Finding their Duel Monsters cards, he clasped the Ankh to summon the Wretched Ghost of the Attic and Lucky Trinket. Ankh blinked hard as he did.  
  
The two monsters appeared in ghostly forms. They were very surprised to see their friends like this. The Lucky Trinket trilled questioningly and reached out a long blue arm to touch Ankh's face, making him giggle. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic was speechless, but its eyes nearly doubled in size. They both looked to Shadi for answers.  
  
"From what I can tell, they fell into a cursed tomb," Shadi said. "Would you please keep them occupied and amused while I try to find a way to reverse the curse?"  
  
The two monsters agreed enthusiastically. The four of them went off to play, and Shadi went to get a glass of cold water and some camel jerky. Then he took the remaining four scrolls up to the roof to read.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"I'm so glad you came," Ankh exclaimed. The Lucky Trinket trilled agreement. Ankh laughed and ran off shouting, "You can't catch me!" The odd little spell caster sprang after him.  
  
Scale looked at the furball in front of him reluctantly. "Oh great, why'd you have to come?"  
  
The fuzzy fiend purred and rubbed against him, since his head was now far too small to sit on.   
  
"Rrg, no! Get away! Stop it! Aah! Okay, okay, I'm glad to see you too. I guess. But if you tell anyone I said that, I'll squeeze you until your eyes pop out!" Scale said after much affectionate nuzzling. The Ghost purred, then grabbed Scale's turban in its sharp claws and bounded off with it.  
  
"Hey! Come back here! Give it back, Wretched!" Scale demanded, running after him. They quickly caught up to Ankh, and soon were all racing around.  
  
"Ha, Wretched's faster than your Lucky Charm any day," Scale taunted. His monster squeaked in agreement.  
  
"It's a Lucky TRINKET. And it's faster than you think," Ankh said, grinning.  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"Let's see."  
  
*********************************************************************************  
  
As Shadi read, cries of "You lose!" "Let's race again, then!" and "Teleporting's cheating!" came to his ears. He continued to patiently search for words having to do with age or size. With very little luck.  
  
After a few hours, the sun had moved so that there was no shade left on the roof. Shadi gathered the scrolls and went back inside where it was cooler. He had finished looking through every scroll that could possibly be useful. Giving up, he went and got another drink of ice water. He meditated for a while until Ankh, Scale, and their monsters came back, dragging their feet.  
  
"Shadi, it's too hot," Ankh moaned.  
  
"Can I go sit in the freezer?" whined Scale.  
  
Shadi considered his overheated spirits, giving them an odd look. "Very well, but only for a few minutes." The two duel monsters disappeared back into their cards, worn out. Shadi led Ankh and Scale to the back room that held a refrigerator and a huge freezer that opened from the top. It wasn't big enough for an adult, but the two small spirits would fit nicely.  
  
Shadi lifted Ankh and Scale into the nearly empty freezer and propped the lid open with a brick. "Five minutes, no more," he cautioned. They agreed, leaning against the cold plastic walls. Shadi went back to the main room to meditate for a while longer.  
  
Almost ten minutes later, well on the way to inner peace, Shadi realized it was too quiet. Ankh and Scale should have been pestering him again by now. He quickly got up and went to see what was going on. Lifting the freezer's lid, Shadi saw Ankh and Scale fast asleep, pressed against each other for warmth.  
  
"Of all the irresponsible things to do…" Shadi muttered, quickly lifting the two out and closing the freezer. Neither woke up, but they instantly cuddled into his warm body. They seemed all right except that they were shivering a bit. So Shadi brought them back to the main room with him and gently set them on his bed, prying their arms off of him. He stood up to look at them. "More trouble than they're worth sometimes," Shadi mumbled. He sat down to contemplate.  
  
/Who might know how to change them back? The Pharaoh, of course. Not an option, given the state of his memories. And going to study his tomb might mean getting myself turned into a child myself. In their present state, I certainly can't send Ankh and Scale back there. Who knows what effect it might have on them a second time? Hmm… Isis might know something. Her family has enough knowledge to rival the guardians of the Items. But she may not be able to help, and I dare not travel that far with Ankh and Scale like this. Perhaps THEY know something. I wouldn't put it past Scale not to tell me…/  
  
Shadi found his Egyptian history book again and went back to finding mistakes in it while he waited for his two spirits to wake up.  
  
  
  
Endnotes: I'm not sure where that freezer came from. My grandma has one like that, though. And I went to a summer camp with my friend's girl scout troop once. There was a walk-in freezer, and we went and sat in there a lot.  
I liked that "sibling rivalry" idea, too. That's not the only reason why Scale's so hostile, but it's one of them. 


	23. The Cure for Cute

Author's Notes: Eep, I'm getting behind with my writing. Must write more soon. Oh, and this chapter is pretty bad, just so you know.  
Trupana, all this is in modern Egypt. Ankhkare (Ankh) and Senui (Scale) are from ancient Egypt, but they're in modern times in Shadi's Items. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that. You can borrow them for a little while if you want, but I'm going to need them a lot soon.  
Avalon, Shadi didn't lock them in the freezer! He just let them sit in there to cool off and forgot about them for a couple of minutes. He got them out, so all is well!  
Unrealistic, I think Ankh and Scale already ARE bishies! Bishonen just means "beautiful boy," after all. ^_^ Did you mean Yami-chan wanted to see them cross-dressed or something? Heh heh… And in the beginning, I tried to keep both their genders unspecific. I even considered referring to them as "it" for a while, but that didn't work.  
Rainstorm, Shadi IS cute! ^_^ Have you seen my pictures of Ankh and Scale? They're pretty cute themselves.  
DClick, I'm impressed that you remembered their real names. I doubt many others did!  
Shadi: Thank you for the new book.  
Chibi Scale: Cool, a sword of darkness! *swishes it around* Ooh, fireworks…  
Chibi Ankh: Mmm, thanks for the candy! And the hug. Ooh, and fireworks!  
  
Shadi: Indigo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She does own Ankh and Scale. And two days ago, she bought the DVDs. So she is rather pleased with that.  
  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
A couple hours later, Shadi finished his book. Shortly after, Ankh woke up. He came over and tugged on Shadi's robe.  
  
"Ah, good. Is Scale awake yet?" Shadi asked. Ankh shook his head. "He will be soon, I'm sure," Shadi observed.  
  
"Shadi?" Ankh asked plaintively, sniffling a bit.  
  
"Yes?" Shadi responded, realizing that he should focus on the spirit he had here first.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
"Oh. All right, what would you like?" Shadi led Ankh to the refrigerator. Ankh just shrugged. Shadi opened the refrigerator door and they looked inside.  
  
"Mmm…" Ankh pondered, looking around at the food they had.  
  
"Decide, or let me shut the door," said Shadi, not wanting to let too much heat into the refrigerator.  
  
"Um… chicken!" Ankh decided.  
  
"Very well." Shadi pulled out some chicken strips and put them in the microwave to heat up.  
  
As soon as the smell of the chicken permeated the main room, Scale appeared beside Shadi and Ankh.  
  
"I'm hungry," Scale demanded.  
  
"You may have some chicken if you wish," Shadi said. "And then you and I need to talk about this curse."  
  
Scale immediately got a guarded, suspicious look in his eyes. "What about it?"  
  
He obviously knew something. This needed to be handled carefully… "I was just trying to learn more about it. None of my scrolls mention it. But I thought that someone as intelligent and knowledgeable as you might be able to tell me about it." Ankh, who could sense his host's thoughts, hid behind him and tried to suppress a fit of giggles.  
  
Shadi got some paper plates and forks, and brought the chicken out to the main room. Ankh grabbed a bottle of ketchup, and he and Scale followed.  
  
"Of COURSE I know all about the curse! I studied all kinds of curses when I was alive," Scale boasted. He began eating the chicken strips.  
  
Shadi and Ankh started eating as well. "Oh, just the curses themselves," Shadi said dismissively. "I'm sure you wouldn't know any way to counteract their effects, then. Never mind, I can ask Isis for help. I'm sure her knowledge is more formidable."  
  
That did it. "She doesn't know anything! I know how to fix curses better than some stupid girl! It's so easy, anyway. We'd just have to be on top of that mountain we came out of at midnight two days after we were cursed. It's so simple --" he suddenly realized what he was saying.  
  
Ankh collapsed in a fit of giggles, almost choking on his chicken. Shadi even smiled slightly. "Thank you Scale. That would be tonight, I believe. Had I found out about this too late, I would have been very angry."  
  
Scale threw his now empty paper plate at Shadi in a fit of rage. "Why'd you have to do that!? I don't want to be big again! It's no fun! It's not fair! I hate you!" he screamed. Ankh looked worried, and apologetic.  
  
Shadi frowned. "Scale, get ahold of yourself and think for a moment. If you don't change back tonight, you never will. It may be more fun now, but what about a few centuries from now? You'd be vulnerable to any of the other spirits who decide to take your powers. And I'm sure future guardians would not be happy about your altered state…"  
  
Scale paled and actually looked frightened. Ankh shivered. Scale looked down dejectedly. "…Okay. But you'd better be nice to me!"  
  
"If you make an effort to be more civil," Shadi agreed.  
  
Scale gave him an appraising look. Shadi looked back apprehensively, knowing it would never happen.  
  
"…And you have to give me more chocolate," said Scale, grinning fiendishly.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then I'm not going to the mountain!"  
  
"You are quite small enough to carry if need be."  
  
"You can't! I'll bite you! I'll send you to Anubis!"  
  
"You forget, I control the Scales as well. In you present condition, I doubt that you could harm me very much. And I could always put you in your soul room."  
  
"Then you'll turn little and I can get out."  
  
"No, I don't think just ONE of you would affect me that much. I'm sorry Scale, but if I have to stay with two children on a mountaintop late at night, I do not want them to be any more hyperactive than usual. So you may either walk with us or stay in your soul room."  
  
Scale growled and tried to look threatening. Shadi's expression did not change.  
  
"Hmph… Fine. I still hate you," Scale muttered.  
  
"Of course. Now, it is only 8:00. Ankh, should we stay here a while longer or go and wait?" Shadi asked.  
  
"Why not me?" Scale whined.  
  
"Because I know your answer," Shadi said, looking at the quieter spirit.  
  
"Umm…" Ankh looked at Scale doubtfully, obviously wanting to make him happy.  
  
"What YOU want Ankh, not what he wants," Shadi reminded him.  
  
"Oh. Well… Can we go… now?" Ankh asked, glancing at Scale nervously, but knowing that Shadi would know if he didn't say what he really wanted.  
  
"Yes, that might be a good idea," Shadi agreed. Scale moaned. "Scale, I suspect that when you go back to normal, you'll be glad of it." Scale glared at him darkly. Shadi went to get his cloak, since the desert was cold at night. They went outside and towards the mountains. Luckily, Shadi knew which mountain opened from the Pharaoh's tomb, because Ankh didn't remember. Scale knew, but Shadi would rather not rely on him.  
  
"Why do we have to walk?" Scale whined.  
  
"Because we can't fly!" Ankh giggled cutely.  
  
Scale gave him a disgusted look. "You're so stupid… How much farther?"  
  
"A mile," Shadi said.  
  
"A MILE!?"  
  
"…or two."  
  
"I'm not walking that far!"  
  
"You could go to your soul room."  
  
"No!"  
  
They walked a while longer. Ankh was shocked to discover that Scale didn't know how to skip. He tried to teach him, but Scale couldn't quite get the rhythm of it.   
  
"This is dumb," Scale growled. "It's for little kids. And girls. Shadi, I'm tired of walking!"  
  
"You took a nap not long ago. I doubt that you are too tired to walk."  
  
"Carry me!" Scale demanded.  
  
"No," Shadi said incredulously. "Why would I do that?"  
  
"Because I said so!"  
  
"You're far too lazy."  
  
"No, YOU'RE lazy!"  
  
"Scaaaale… Just stop it!" Ankh complained.  
  
"Shut up!" Scale turned on him. "And I'm not a Scale! I just live in one."  
  
"Do you want me to call you Senui now?" Ankh asked, just grateful that the other spirit had stopped arguing with Shadi. He didn't like people fighting.  
  
"Hmph…" Scale looked at him with narrow eyes, but then grinned. "Only if I can call you Ankh-carry!"  
  
"It's Ankhkare, Sc -- Senui! If I use your real name, you have to say mine right too."  
  
Scale grumbled to himself and kicked a rock at a lizard, though it didn't go anywhere near the small reptile. "…Fine."  
  
"Okay!" Ankh… or Ankhkare said. "Shadi, if I can catch a lizard, can we keep it?"  
  
"No," Shadi said instantly. He paused. "…I suppose you want me to use your real names as well?"  
  
"If you don't, I'll call you Shady!" Senui said with a mean laugh.  
  
Shadi stared at him, unimpressed. "I will probably forget."  
  
"That's okay," Ankh said, smiling. "We're used to 'Ankh' and 'Scale' too."  
  
Scale glared at him. "You're so dumb. Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you have to like it."  
  
About half an hour later, most of which the two spirits spent taking turns riding on Shadi's back, they finally made it to the mountaintop. Senui was still complaining, but Shadi had tuned him out long ago. Ankh busied himself trying to catch the little nocturnal lizards that were all over. Shadi sat on a rock, occasionally telling Scale to be quiet or Ankh that he STILL couldn't have a pet lizard. After a while, he fell into a light sleep…  
  
  
  
Endnote: Wow, I really didn't like that chapter at all. The next one will be better, I guess. Hopefully. And I may not be able to update as often due to... lack of inspiration and time. But I'm sure you'll live.  
Just so you know, Ankhkare is pronounced "Ahn-KAR-ay" (though I pronounce Ankh like "thank" without the "th") and Senui is "SEN-oo-ee." I know it's confusing, but I don't think it'll last much longer. Tell me what you think, though.  
If anyone sees any DVDs or tapes of the real first season of Yu-Gi-Oh (where Seto has green hair, and everybody's drawn a little differently), PLEASE tell me! And please review too! Thank you! 


	24. Hiss, Zap

Author's Notes: So nice of you all to be polite, but I still thought the last chapter sucked. As does this one. And I'm working on the next one, but I've got a LOT of school work (mostly papers), so I may not be able to update as regularly. I'll try, though. And I'm still looking for a way to end the whole story. Ha, like THAT'LL ever happen!  
Oh, and enough chocolate and such! We all appreciate everything, but nobody needs THAT much. Even little Scale isn't that greedy. Thanks for everything, though!  
I think I'm going to try to work Malik, Isis, and perhaps even Bakura into the story again. I hope I can write for them well enough… Give me tips if you can!  
Sailor Comet, you rule INFINITELY! Thanks so much for the website! Wow that's expensive, but it's still the only place I've seen that even sells the first season!  
All you people who are writing about Ankh, Scale, and Shadi… Hurry up and write more!! ^_^ And Anime*Angel*Fox, a Scale/Mai might be good!  
I think this is the website I found their names on: http://www.kabalarians.com/html/surf-by.htm There are lots of names from other cultures there too. It gives meanings too, even though I don't think Ankhkare's fits him. Senui's definitely does, though.  
  
Shadi: Indigo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh… Though she is about to go out of her mind with sheer glee at buying the DVDs. She does own Ankh and Scale, and at times she believes that she owns me… She would appreciate if you asked before using them, but only because she is narcissistic enough to want to read what other people write about her own characters.  
  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
"Shadi…"  
  
Shadi felt a small hand gently shake his shoulder. He raised his head only to be confronted with the largest cobra he had ever seen in his life. He dropped quickly on his back with a yell of surprise. "Ankh! What are you doing!?"  
  
Ankh looked a bit confused. "Why did you fall over? Don't be scared, she's really nice!" The enormous snake was coiled around his neck and down the length of his arm, hissing softly. Ankhkare was stroking the snake's hooded head with his free hand. "I know she'll like you too. Here, you can pet her." He stepped closer to Shadi. The cobra's hood opened slightly as she focused on Shadi.  
  
Shadi got up and stepped back. "Ankh… Ankhkare… Put the snake down. Let her go back where you found her." The Ankh's spirit truly believed that the snake was harmless, so this had to be handled delicately. She probably WOULDN'T hurt Ankh because he practically oozed friendliness and the feeling of not being a threat, but anyone else…  
  
Ankhkare looked rather disappointed, but he went over to the other side of the mountaintop to let the snake go back where he found her, and then came back. "Where did… Senui go?" Shadi asked, not seeing the other spirit.  
  
"He's over there looking at the sky," Ankhkare said, pointing to a clear spot a few meters away.  
  
"Ah. A good idea. Why don't you join him?" Shadi suggested, still a bit shaken from the cobra. "And PLEASE, no more animals."  
  
"Okay," Ankhkare said dejectedly. Shadi pulled his cloak tight around himself as his light spirit walked away.  
  
Ankhkare found Senui lying on his back staring up at the sky. It was mostly clear, but a few stray clouds raced across the moon now and then.  
  
"Hi!" Ankhkare said cheerfully. "I don't think Shadi liked my snake. Can I look at the stars with you?"  
  
Senui only glared at him and looked back at the moon. This was quite welcoming coming from him, so Ankhkare lay down on his back beside him. Neither spoke for a while.  
  
"The stars are really pretty," Ankhkare finally commented.  
  
"I like the clouds," Senui said.  
  
"Oh. Um… Senui?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you still want me to use that name?"  
  
"It's better than 'Scale,' I guess. That's not even a name."  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"Why, do you wanna be called Ankh still?"  
  
"No. Well, if you want. But if you use your real name, I should too."  
  
Senui rolled his eyes. "You're so stupid."  
  
Ankhkare was quiet for a while. Then he spoke again. "You're a lot nicer than you used to be. Are you gonna be like that when you're big again?"  
  
"How should I know? Probably not."  
  
"But people would like you more!"  
  
"I don't want people to like me."  
  
"…Yes you do."  
  
"If they like me because I'm nice, that's not really me. They'll like me mean or they shouldn't like me at all."  
  
"Oh… I'll still like you, Scale."  
  
"Don't call me Scale. And I know. That's 'cause you're dumber than a dead vulture. But… thanks, I guess."  
  
Ankhkare smiled hugely at him. "Oh Senui, you're welcome!" He gave the other spirit a hug.  
  
"What --!? Eew, get off me!" Senui pushed him away hard.  
  
Suddenly all the clouds fled form the sky. All the nighttime sounds ceased. The air was carged with energy. With a loud crack, a bolt of red-tinged lightning shot down form the sky. It split not far above the ground to strike both spirits. Shadi woke up in time to hear them both scream, and he quickly went to see what was happening. As their screams continued, they became deeper and older-sounding, and a blinding light enveloped them.  
  
Once again, Ankh found himself on top of Scale in the same position they had been in when they landed in the Pharaoh's tomb. "We're back to normal!" he said in surprise, not quite sure whether to be happy or upset.  
  
"I noticed. Get off, rutabaga-face!" Scale growled, pushing the light spirit off of him.  
  
"Do you even know what a rutabaga is, Sc -- Senui?" Shadi asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Of course! And why are you calling me that?" Scale demanded.  
  
"When you were children, you decided you would like to be called by your real names. Have you changed your mind?" Shadi asked.  
  
"Don't you remember? I can remember what happened pretty clearly," Ankh said.  
  
"Why wouldn't I remember? You're the one who was too senile to remember your own name."  
  
"Perhaps we can discuss this on the way home?" Shadi suggested. "I would like to get some sleep tonight. You are not the more restful children to be around." He turned and began walking away. Ankh and Scale followed behind him.  
  
They walked in silence for a while. Shadi looked ahead of him at the approaching lights of their town. Ankh glanced up at the stars now and then, and Scale stared at the ground, kicking rocks. One would occasionally hit Shadi's ankle, making him glare at Scale over his shoulder.  
  
"Have you decided on your names yet?" Shadi finally asked.  
  
"Oh… Well, Ankh is just part of Ankhkare anyway, so I don't mind either," Ankh said with an agreeable smile.  
  
"I'm not Senui anymore," Scale said, eyes narrowed. "But I'm not a scale either."  
  
"What would you suggest, then?" Shadi asked.  
  
Scale rolled his eyes. "Tch… It doesn't even matter. You'll call me whatever you want anyway."  
  
"Very well then. I am far more used to calling you Ankh and Scale, but if you would rather be called something else, let me know," Shadi said.  
  
"How about 'High and Supreme Pharaoh of --'"  
  
"No, Scale."  
  
Scale disappeared into his soul room in a huff. Ankh followed after a while. Upon returning home, Shadi made a mental note to do something about the hole in the roof of the Pharaoh's tomb. But not until tomorrow. Shadi flopped down on his bed and fell asleep almost immediately. What a luxury a bed of your own could be…  
  
*********************************************************************************  
  
Ankh was almost asleep in his soul room when he heard a loud banging on his door. Scale came in and glared at the lighter spirit, who sat up and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Mmm? What is it, Scale?" he asked.  
  
"That scroll we read the other day. You think our lump of a host is paying attention to the planetary alignment?" Scale asked, ignoring Ankh's sleepiness.  
  
"You mean the double eclipse that's coming up? I'm sure Shadi has it under control," Ankh said with a yawn.  
  
"Don't be so sure! He probably forgot about it. And it's no trivial matter!" Scale said angrily.  
  
Ankh nodded, eyes half closed. Scale whacked the other spirit's head. "Wake up, muckworm! This is important!"  
  
"Scale, I'm really tired. I know it's important, but can't it wait for tomorrow?" Ankh groaned.  
  
"Fine, but when it's over and you find everyone around you dead, don't blame me!" Scale threatened.  
  
"Remind Shadi tomorrow, it'll be okay," Ankh said, not really paying attention.  
  
"Moron…" Scale growled, turning to leave.  
  
"Good night, Scale!" Ankh called to him.  
  
"It will be when I get out of your disgusting room. Go to sleep, you idiot," Scale said harshly as he left, almost slamming the door but catching it at the last second.  
  
  
  
Endnotes: Well, that was a bit short. And I switched their names back because I'm just more used to Ankh and Scale now. And it was too sudden. Oh well, no one minds, I'm sure.  
Wondering what Scale was talking about there at the end? Yeah, I know everyone but Seena (and maybe Avalon) is. That's foreshadowing of things to come. You'll see. I haven't written it yet, but I have plans… 


	25. Preparations

Author's Notes: Thanks so much for reminding me to write chapters based on content, not page amount. ^_^ I took a break from the norm in the second part of this one, and I'm much happier with it.  
Wow, suddenly I almost have 300 reviews… How did that happen!? Thanks everyone! ^_^   
I haven't even started on the next chapter yet, although I have a vague idea of what I want to do. So I may not be able to update regularly for a while… But we'll see.  
Astrology isn't my strong point, but hey, this could happen!  
I finally found a great, interesting, tragic ending!! Now, if I can just make it up to that point… I know my writing's been sub-par lately. Sorry about that. This chapter will start slow but it'll get better when the scene changes.  
  
Scale: At last, a couple people realize how stupid this story is… Took you long enough, morons! And the rest of you are completely hopeless… How could Indigo own Yu-Gi-Oh if THIS is the best she can do!?  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo  
  
  
By the time Scale woke up the next morning, Shadi had placed a spell on the hole in the Pharaoh's tomb to repel all living things. He was currently above the cave's mouth trying to cause a rockslide to block it.  
\\What are you doing, frog legs?\\  
  
/I do not want anyone else to intrude on the Pharaoh's resting place and become a child as you did./  
  
\\Ha, no one else could ever hope to compare with me!\\  
  
/True. Though you weren't quite as bad as I feared./ Shadi finally succeeded in toppling a pile of rocks so they landed in front of the cave. It was mostly blocked, but Shadi found a few more large stones to drop on top, sealing the cave's mouth completely.  
  
\\You ARE paying attention to the planetary alignment, aren't you? And that scroll from the other day? You'd better be ready.\\  
  
/Of course. I have it well under control. Worried, Scale?/  
  
\\Do you realize what this eclipse does, you ninny? It makes all of us sealed in the Millennium Items act the opposite of the way we normally do!\\  
  
/Ah, I see. You're worried that you'll be so kind and helpful that your fine reputation will be ruined?/ Shadi laughed slightly as he began walking home.  
  
\\The ONE time you decide to have a sense of humor, and it's when nothing is funny! As disgusting as I may act, have you thought about that green freak!? He's so sticky-sweet… He'll kill us all! And probably torture us first!\\  
  
/You know, if I didn't know what you were talking about, I'd think you were crazy. But don't worry, I'm prepared./  
  
\\Knock off the jokes, papyrus-face. It's not funny!\\  
  
/In any case, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry./  
  
The event Scale was worried about was an especially rare double solar eclipse by Mercury and Venus, blocking out the sun's light for a good two hours. The sun, being Ra's light, was very important to the spirits sealed in the Millennium Items. This special eclipse only happened once every ten thousand years or so, but it was serious business to Millennium Item holders, though no one but the guardians and the Ishtars understood this. It caused the Millennium spirits to act oppositely of the way they normally would. Someone who acted mean but was not exactly evil, like Scale, would still become very sweet and polite, even open to other people. But someone like Ankh, who acted just as kind and caring as he was, would be as evil as Malik's self-made spirit.  
  
Shadi, of course, had a plan for counteracting this. His scrolls provided a spell to keep the spirits from changing. He would have to read this spell seven different times, changing it slightly for each Item. It couldn't be done any more than twelve hours before the eclipse began. This eclipse was scheduled to start at 8:19 am the next morning, and could probably be seen most clearly from Japan, where the rest of the Items were.  
  
\\And what if your plan fails? Got a backup plan to make sure spinach-face doesn't kill us all and conquer the world in the two hours or so that he's psycho?\\  
  
/Well then, I'll enlist your help to keep him locked in his soul room, I suppose. We should be able to manage him, between the two of us./  
  
\\I wonder if the Pharaoh or one of the others would come out and kill the others…\\  
  
//Why would they do that?// Ankh asked, having just woken up.  
  
As Scale proceeded to angrily fill him in, Shadi went to the marketplace. He would need a few special incenses and other ingredients for the spell he was about to attempt. He passed by the large, welcoming shops and stalls, heading for the darker alleyways on the other side of twon. He carefully slipped the Ankh under his robe so as not to attract trouble.  
  
Shadi found a dim, narrow road lined with plain wooden doors. He went to the third one on the left and knocked twice, paused, then knocked once more and entered.  
  
\\…And if you had been paying attention instead of SLEEPING, you'd know that already!\\  
  
//All RIGHT Scale, I'm sorry!//  
  
/Quiet./ Shadi approached the counter where a person (or so he assumed) of indeterminable gender, age, and just about everything else stood eyeing him warily. This shopkeeper was covered so heavily in robes, a turban, face mask, veils, and other such trappings that no skin was visible.  
  
Shadi gave a slight nod and stuck out a sheet of paper with the things he needed written on it. He knew that the shopkeeper's dislike of conversation had resulted in death for more than one customer. The woman -- or man -- took the list, gave Shadi a dark look (or so he assumed), and went to the back room, presumably to get the supplies.  
  
\\…What a freak…\\  
  
/Perhaps. I wouldn't know. But he -- or she -- always has what I need. As long as I keep quiet, I get what I want./  
  
//This place smells… strange. I can't quite describe it.//  
  
/That would be a combination of everything back there. I suspect that you don't want to know anything beyond that./  
  
  
A few minutes later, the shopkeeper returned. She -- or he -- let Shadi look at everything as it was placed in a large paper bag. Shadi gave a nod, showing that it was to his satisfaction, and the shopkeeper handed him a piece of paper with a rather large number on it. Shadi dug into his pocket and brought out some money.  
  
\\WHAT!? You're paying this much for that paltry amount? At least haggle a little, you wasteful… camel root!\\  
  
/No, I'd like to live to see next week, thank you Scale. And you're really getting quite imaginative with your insults, if a bit lame./  
  
Scale gave an infuriated growl. He tried to take over Shadi's body, but Shadi was ready to mentally beat him back, and Ankh did the same. Shadi collected his change, nodded to the shopkeeper, and left.  
  
//So… What do you know about that… person?//  
  
/To be honest, I'm not even sure it's human. But some things are safer not to know./  
  
Upon returning home, Shadi unpacked his wide array of bizarre ingredients and started setting up for a complicated, very time-consuming series of spells.  
  
//Would you like any help, Shadi?//  
  
/Thank you for the offer, but no. It would be far more helpful if you would leave me alone for the rest of the day. If I think either of you can be of assistance, I will certainly let you know./  
  
//All right.// Ankh replied, not amazingly disappointed.  
  
As Shadi prepared for the next day, Ankh got out a piece of parchment and a pen and began drawing an intricately coiled snake. Suddenly, Scale walked in without any warning.  
  
"Oh, hello Scale. How are you?" Ankh asked.  
  
Scale snatched the drawing, glanced at it, and tore it in half. "What's this crap? You can do better."  
  
"Um… I…" Ankh wasn't sure how to respond to that.  
  
"As unlikely as it is, you're going to figure out how to be mean for a change," Scale said, ripping the papyrus to shreds and dropping it all over the floor.  
  
"Does this have anything to do with acting differently tomorrow? Do you think it would help? I don't want to hurt anyone if something goes wrong," Ankh said, looking worriedly at the plant fibers all over the floor.  
  
"No, ibis ankles! It's not that simple," Scale said quickly with an irritated glare.  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"Because you're so damn weak… nice… you're just too good for MY own good!" Scale kicked the closest leg of Ankh's bed.  
  
Ankh blinked and then laughed. "Scale, are you trying to give me evil lessons?"  
  
"…Not that they'd do you any good," Scale muttered in disgust.  
  
"Oh, if it doesn't work, can I give you… good lessons?" Ankh asked, still laughing.  
  
"Damn you to Osiris himself!! Why id everyone convinced that they're so funny today!?"  
  
"Come on Scale, lighten up! You normally have some sense of humor too!" Ankh said.  
  
"I would if anything was funny. Now shut up and pay attention…"  
  
  
While Shadi chanted and mixed things, Scale tried (and mostly failed) to teach Ankh how to be evil, or as he said, "have a spine."  
  
  
The planets moved slowly, but they would come together soon.  
  
  
Shadi finished warding the Puzzle and the Rod against the eclipse, and moved on to the others…  
  
  
Far away, across land and sea, a spirit and a mortal planned their next move. Other dueled intensely, but for the moment these two had a different agenda…  
  
**********************************Somewhere in Japan*********************************************  
  
"So I will help you kill the Pharaoh and in return you will help me get all of the Millennium Items. Agreed?" the white-haired former tomb robber said with a smirk.  
  
"Agreed," said the young blond Egyptian. He took out his golden Millennium Rod and pointed the dagger at his accomplice. The ancient spirit offered his arm. The mortal boy made a cut in the thief's arm, and then in his own, and they pressed them together to seal their pact in blood.  
  
"So Bakura… what do we go for first, hmm? I think we should gather more power before we go after the Pharaoh," Malik, the wielder of the Rod said.  
  
"Indeed. So that eliminates the Puzzle," Bakura said, idly rolling the Millennium Eye around in his hand. What about your sister's Item, the Tauk? That shouldn't be too much of a challenge."  
  
"Are you growing senile in your old age, Bakura?" Malik sneered. "The Tauk's power allows her to see future events. I've tried to take it before, and she was always waiting for me."  
  
"But surely when she's deeply asleep she wouldn't notice. I suspect you could even slip it off without slitting her throat," Bakura said.  
  
"It's not that simple," Malik snarled, looking away. "First of all, to really own a Millennium Item, you have to win it. You know that. And besides, unless I brought Rishid with me, I WOULD end up slitting her throat."  
  
"What?" Bakura exclaimed. "What do you mean? Who is Rishid?"  
  
A dark cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows. "This is Rishid, my friend and servant. Only his presence seems to be able to banish the darkness that overtakes me," Malik said, gesturing towards Rishid with the Rod.  
  
"I see… Well he seems… quiet enough. Take him with you, then," Bakura said with a shrug.  
  
"No, you really don't get it!" Malik said in annoyance. "She'd know as soon as I entered the apartment."  
  
"You're not making any sense," Bakura said, frowning at Malik. "Won't you already be in the apartment?"  
  
"Isis does not allow threats to the world to live under her roof," Malik said stiffly, glaring at Bakura from under his uneven bangs. "And I nearly killed her numerous times. We agreed that it would be best if I left."  
  
Bakura's eyes widened in surprise. "Then… where are you living now?"  
  
"Surely you've heard of my card-hunting organization, the Ghouls. We have quite a few pieces of property in this city, not to mention our ship. I am quite well-off, and I don't want pity from a tomb robber," Malik said icily.  
  
"I wasn't offering any pity. I merely wondered. So if the Tauk and Puzzle are temporarily unattainable, that leaves… the Ankh and the Scales," Bakura said thoughtfully. Their eyes met. "Shadi…" Bakura hissed softly.  
  
"You know of him too?" Malik asked.  
  
"A bit more than I'd like to. After I acquired the Millennium Eye, he came to question me about it. The spirits of his Items gave me quite a bit of trouble." Bakura growled at the memory and began licking the blood off his arm.  
  
"Oh Ra, don't do that in front of me," Malik complained, turning away in disgust. "I don't suppose you have a plan to get the Ankh and Scales, do you?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do… Mmm, wish I had some nice raw meat to go with this!" Bakura exclaimed with a slurp, hoping to annoy Malik more. "We'd have to use our Items together though." Bakura's other hand strayed to the Ring on his chest.  
  
"Damn you! Stop that before I cut your tongue out! What's your idiotic plan!?" Malik screamed, pointing the Rod at Bakura.  
  
"Fine then," Bakura said with one last lick. "I'll read his mind with the Eye to figure out how to do that transportation spell he does, and you can take over his body and make him do it to bring him and his Items here."  
  
"Oh, I see!" Malik exclaimed. "Then we win his Items from him, and their powers become ours."  
  
"MINE. Yes," agreed Bakura.  
  
"Your host won't cause any trouble for us, will he?" Malik suddenly asked.  
  
"Not a chance. He doesn't even know what goes on when I take over. And when he finds the cut he'll just assume I was either in a fight or torturing his body again. That boy can be so dense sometimes…" Bakura muttered.  
  
"Perfect. Then let's get to work, shall we?" Malik asked with a fiendish grin. Bakura laughed evilly, squeezed his hand around the Eye, and reached out across the distance to the only other mind connected to two Millennium Items…  
  
  
  
Endnote: Oh it was so refreshing to write about other people! How's their characterization? 


	26. Eclipse

Author's Notes: First of all, this is LONG. So I hope you've got a while. This monster chapter could have taken me ages to write, and could easily be two short chapters, but it isn't. You have Seena and Chibi to thank for this. They got me to hurry up and just write it already! Thanks! ^_^  
And this all came to me in biology class a couple days ago. Ooh, BIOLOGY class is more inspirational than SOME muses, apparently. We get to play tug-o-war with Shadi here. Poor guy.  
Did you all really think Yami Bakura sounded that evil? I was going for mean, but not hard-core evil. Maybe creepy, but definitely not THAT evil. He just likes blood, that's all. Well, in this chapter, he'll be anything but evil.  
Everybody go read Jaid Skywalker's story The Next Generation (or something of the sort), because it's got Shadi, Ankh, and Scale, and Scale is done PERFECTLY!  
Anime*Angel*Fox, sure, stick an OC or two in as long as he/she/it isn't romantically involved with Ankh, Scale, or Shadi.  
Eep, Li. I know how that is. Stupid schoolwork… Thanks for all the stuff, and thank you for not kissing me too. Yaoi's great to read, but I don't swing that way either. ^_^  
JessiChi, I actually was originally planning to have the spell work for everyone but Ankh and Scale, but your idea of Bakura changing too interested me, so I worked it in.  
And Rosz, I think I answered all of your questions in here.  
Finally, I have pictures of nice Scale (http://indigo.1afm.com/images/nicescaledraw.jpg) and evil Ankh (http://indigo.1afm.com/images/antiankhdraw.jpg). Aw, Scale looks so nice... Ankh looks scary, though.  
  
Shadi: Indigo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She expects to receive the DVDs next week, however.  
  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
  
Shadi had finished more than half of the warding spells. He only had the Ring, Ankh, and Scales left to do, so he decided to take a break and get something to eat. He left everything as it was and walked into town to find something good.  
  
Scale had given up on trying to make Ankh mean, and after much angry screaming, he retreated to his own soul room. He had only succeeded in making the other spirit upset and a bit annoyed. They had been concentrating so intently on each other that neither had noticed another presence flit through Shadi's unconscious mind to find the transport ritual. Shadi himself had all of his attention on his warding spells, so he didn't notice either.  
  
  
Bakura had forcibly blocked out Shadi's conscious thoughts in favor of that he was looking for. After all, if he looked through and reacted to the uppermost thoughts, someone like Shadi or Ankh would surely know he was there. Upon finding what he was looking for, Bakura quickly reported back to Malik, who took a few minutes to practice the transport ritual on himself before he was satisfied.  
  
  
Shadi, meanwhile, was fairly oblivious to everything. He was slowly returning home, gnawing on a large piece of chicken on a stick. Ankh and Scale were both caught up in their own thoughts, so he enjoyed a rare moment when no one was bothering anyone else. He took his time eating, and then went to finish the warding spells.  
  
Suddenly, Shadi felt a jerk at his mind. Someone was trying to take control of him, but it wasn't Ankh or Scale. Luckily, he recognized what was happening right away and yanked his mind away. After Scale, he was used to things like this, but this was stronger than Scale had ever been.  
  
/Ankh! Scale!/ Shadi called. They knew instantly what was going on, and leapt to keep the invader out. Between the three of then, they managed to hold off the foreign force easily.  
  
  
"Why is it taking so long?" Bakura complained.   
  
"He's resisting," Malik growled. "It's as if he knows how to keep control of his own body even against the Rod. Help me, will you?"  
  
"Of all the incompetent…" Bakura muttered. He clasped both of his Items in one hand, drawing on their power, and put his other hand on the Rod.  
  
  
/Stay on guard, it will come again./  
  
\\Who the hell is doing this? And NOW, of all times!\\  
  
//It feels like… the Rod!//  
  
\\If your priest friend is responsible for this, I'll kill him myself…\\  
  
//No, I think it's the boy. Malik, wasn't it?//  
  
\\How DARE a mere MORTAL --\\  
  
There was another sharp tug at Shadi's mind, and they all quickly put up their defenses. But this one was more than three times as strong as the first. Inside the mind Shadi, Ankh, and Scale were still fighting against the usurper with all their might. But outside, Shadi's body went rigid. As his lips moved, a younger voice came from his mouth and began to chant something.  
  
//What--?//  
  
/The transport ritual!/  
  
\\Stop it!\\  
  
/Help me, then!/ Shadi drew on his Items' powers and tried to disrupt the spell. He managed to make himself stumble over a few words here and there, but he couldn't stop it completely. The ground rippled.  
  
//Oh Ra, it's still happening…//  
  
\\What's that little idiot doing!? Doesn't he realize --\\  
  
Having gotten hold of all of their souls in addition to Shadi's body, Malik completed the spell and pulled them towards him. It wasn't perfect, but the end result would be the same.  
  
Shadi, Ankh, and Scale made one last desperate attempt at resistance, but then they all blacked out as Shadi's body sank through the floor.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
When Shadi and his spirits woke the next morning, they were in a small, bare room. Shadi was tied tightly to a chair that was bolted to the floor near the back wall. Shadi blinked at a tall man in a dark robe who was watching him.  
  
"Malik-sama," the robed man called. "He is awake." Of course, Shadi understood everything the man said, though he was speaking Japanese. He did notice an Egyptian accent, however.  
  
The door banged open and Malik entered the room, followed by Bakura.  
  
"What are you doing?" Shadi asked quickly, glaring at them. "And what time is it?"  
  
"A man in your position hardly has to worry about petty things like time," Malik said, smirking. "You know me and Bakura, I'm sure. We would like to play a game with you. To relieve you of your Millennium Items."  
  
On cue, both the Ankh and the Scales glowed and the two spirits separated from their host. The tall robed man seemed a bit surprised, though the others were unimpressed by this.  
  
Scale bore down on Malik, ready to kill the boy. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you fool!? Your timing couldn't be worse! Do you realize what you interrupted!? Your family's supposed to know about things like this, you ignorant little twit! Don't you ever stop to think things through!?"  
  
As Scale continued to scream at Malik, Ankh walked over to Bakura. "This is really the worst time you could have picked," he said, almost glaring at the former thief. "I think we may all be in a lot of trouble. And could someone PLEASE tell me what time it is?" Bakura just stared at Ankh doubtfully.  
  
"Almost 8:20. My watch is a bit fast, though," the tall robed man said quietly. Ankh paled and stared at him.  
  
"And YOU! You're always butting in where you don't belong! I should have sent you to Anubis when I had the chance!" Scale shouted at Bakura.  
  
"Oh go send yourself to Anubis. Do us all a favor!" Bakura shot back.  
  
As the shouting match continued, Ankh ran back to his host. "Shadi, it's going to happen any minute! What can we do?"  
  
"…Only pray to the gods that you can be restrained and that no one else decides to cause any trouble," Shadi said quietly. Ankh turned to look at the others, really frightened by now.  
  
Suddenly Scale stopped yelling. The anger lines on his forehead disappeared and his eyes grew slightly wider. The same thing seemed to be happening to Bakura. Both of them looked a bit ashamed. Outside, the sun's light was very slowly being covered.  
  
"Why am I doing this…" Bakura murmured to himself, looking down at his Ring.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you," Scale said, looking worried and apologetic.  
  
"What's with you two?" Malik asked, glaring at the two spirits.  
  
"Today is the double eclipse of Mercury and Venus. I had really hoped that you would realize that, with all your family's knowledge," Shadi said, speaking quickly. He had been struggling against the tight ropes, but now he stopped, saving his energy for more important things.  
  
"But that's only every ten thousand years! It can't be --" Malik was interrupted by a low, harsh laugh. All eyes turned to the green-clad spirit in the middle of the room. Deep, cruel furrows had appeared on Ankh's forehead, and his eyes had become even more slanted and narrow than the darkest of the other spirits'. A bloodthirsty grin had spread over Ankh's face, and it looked too wide to be natural. His dark green eyes scanned the others, especially those holding Millennium Items.  
  
Shadi stared urgently at Scale, who finally managed to pry his eyes away from Ankh to look at his host fearfully. Their Eyes locked. Scale's hand went to his Scales, which no longer bore the Eye of Horus. Shadi concentrated on the Scales and the Ankh, which had somehow grown an Eye of Horus right above its crossbars, though he couldn't move enough to touch either. Shadi gave a slight nod, and he and Scale quickly forced this Anti-Ankh back into his Item.  
  
It took all of Shadi's energy, combined with as much as Scale could give, to keep this Anti-Ankh inside. After a struggle, Anti-Ankh managed to take over Shadi's body, but then Shadi trapped him there by locking the soul room doors and holding him inside the body. Ankh tried to escape the restraints binding him, but he couldn't.  
  
The others stared in horror. Scale approached slowly and touched the rope on Ankh's wrist, partly to make sure it would hold and partly hoping to help Shadi. In a flash, Anti-Ankh flipped his hand up and around to grab Scale's wrist. An eerie redness pulsed from Anti-Ankh's hand into Scale's arm. Scale cried out in pain and tried to yank his arm back, but Anti-Ankh had a firm grip on him.  
  
"Stop! What are you doing!?" Bakura exclaimed. He ran over and helped Scale get out of Anti-Ankh's grasp. While Scale retreated to cradle his injured arm in a corner, Bakura frowned at the spirit in the chair. "I thought you were a healer! How can you hurt people? And I thought he was your friend!"  
  
Anti-Ankh gave a derisive laugh. "How ignorant you are, thief. Anyone with a talent for healing is wasting the gift if he can't learn to cause injuries was well. And I have no need for 'friends.'"  
  
"You're lying. You don't mean that. I'll prove it with the Eye," Bakura said, squeezing the Millennium Eye. But then he paled and stepped back. "You're… not lying." He whirled around and went over to Scale, who was still trying to overcome the agony in his arm. "What made him so cruel… even evil… all of a sudden?"  
  
Scale opened his mouth, but was overcome by another wave of pain. Malik, who had been watching everything, quickly explained to Bakura about the eclipse.  
  
"I think I understand… So then if your spirit being nice to you now?" Bakura asked.  
  
Malik winced. "No, but he's not the same kind of spirit that you all are. And the other one in the Rod… I never feel him much, but I don't think he's any different either."  
  
"No," Scale gasped, fighting against the pain. "Shadi… did a spell to keep the spirits from changing. But he didn't get to the Scales, Ring… or Ankh."  
  
Bakura was silent for a moment, absently stroking the Ring, which no longer had the Eye of Horus on it. "So the Ankh spirit has complete control over Shadi, then?" he asked. Scale nodded. "I didn't realize… Perhaps I should let Ryou have his body back…"  
  
Malik whacked Bakura's head with the Rod. "You idiot! What will that accomplish? YOU can be slightly useful. Ryou would just make things worse."  
  
The three in the corner were so busy concentrating on each other that they didn't notice Anti-Ankh start staring at Rishid. The tall man's eyes glazed over and he slowly began to walk towards the bound spirit.  
  
Scale noticed some movement at the edge of his vision. Looking up, he saw Rishid reaching for Anti-Ankh's restraints. "What's he doing?" Scale asked quickly. The other two looked up. Malik, thinking fast, hurtled the Rod at his friend.  
  
"Rishid! What are you doing!?" Malik shouted, stalking over to his servant. Scale and Bakura followed worriedly. Rishid gripped his shoulder where the Rod had struck him and moaned, shaking his head vigorously.  
  
"Was he controlling you or something?" Malik asked, picking up his Rod. "Honestly Rishid, I thought you'd have something that stopped him from doing that." As he spoke, he took the dagger out of his Rod and stood uncertainly by the chair where Anti-Ankh was staring at him. He started lowering the dagger to the rope on Ankh's right wrist…  
  
"Malik, no!" Bakura said, quickly pushing the Rod away. Malik staggered back, clutching his head. Now it was Bakura who stood before the Anti-Ankh, green eyes boring into his brown ones. His eyes unfocused slightly.  
  
Scale put a hand on Bakura's shoulder, snapping the other spirit back to himself. "You have two Items. You're stronger than him, and don't let him try to convince you otherwise," Scale reminded him softly.  
  
Bakura blinked and nodded, staring clearly back at Anti-Ankh. "Leave my friend Malik alone," he commanded. "And everyone else too."  
  
"Wait, hold on a minute," Malik said. "Your friend? I don't know about that."  
  
"What fools…" Anti-Ankh muttered. He looked up at Scale. "You, on the other hand, could be of some use to me. I want the power to send souls to Anubis. You would do it for me, wouldn't you?" he asked enticingly, with an insidious smile.  
  
"I… no!" Scale said, shaking his head before Anti-Ankh could take control.  
  
"I remember how eager you have always been to use the Scales' power," Anti-Ankh tried again impatiently.  
  
"But… I really don't want to do that to anyone," Scale said, keeping all of his mental defenses up. "No one deserves that."  
  
"Oh cone on, you're being ridiculous about this!" Anti-Ankh spat. "You're acting weaker than you ever thought our idiot host and I were put together."  
  
Scale suddenly looked worried. "I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have been so mean to either of you. I never really meant it, even then. You two are my best friends. Please don't take what I say too seriously."  
  
Anti-Ankh screamed in rage and smashed Scale's mental barriers. Scale was just raising his Item and turning around when Bakura knocked the Scales out of his hands. Scale shivered and kicked them over to the side of the room.  
  
"Malik, do you think we should find Yugi?" Bakura asked quietly. "The Puzzle's the strongest Item, and --"  
  
"How stupid ARE you!?" Malik exclaimed. "He's our MORTAL ENEMY! He wouldn't help us! And if that maniac took control of HIM, we'd be in trouble! He could crush all of our minds, or worse!"  
  
"You two are trying to get all of the Items, correct?" Anti-Ankh suddenly asked with a frightening, oily smile. No one answered him, so he continued. "How about a game, then? If I win, I get your Items and you untie me. If you win, you get my Items."  
  
"The Scales are mine, you can't wager them!" Scale protested. Anti-Ankh ignored him.  
  
"Hmm… Give us a moment," Malik said. He and Bakura went over by Rishid to talk quietly.  
  
"Shadi… I hope you're all right," Scale murmured. He stood there staring at Anti-Ankh until Malik came over, grabbed him, and dragged him over to the others.  
  
"How long at you all going to be like this?" Malik hissed to Scale. "It's not all day, is it?"  
  
"No, just two hours," Scale said softly.  
  
"Rishid, how long has it been?" Malik asked sharply.  
  
Rishid glanced at his watch. "Just over an hour."  
  
"And what do we have to play with?" Malik asked. He, Rishid, and Bakura all pulled out dueling decks. Scale had only one card, and knew that Anti-Ankh didn't have any more than two. Bakura also had two ten-sided dice from the tabletop RPG he used to play.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bakura asked. "I don't think gathering the Items is such a good idea anymore…  
  
"Don't back out now!" Malik growled, glaring at him. "You'll want them again in an hour."  
  
"But what if you lose?" asked Scale worriedly, not really sure which side he was on.  
  
"You've got luck in games," Malik pointed out. "That's your problem to worry about. So if we lose, it's your fault." He stood up to look at Anti-Ankh again. "All right, we accept. Here's what we have to play with." He showed the cards and dice.  
  
"I won't use any cards but my own, so we'll use the dice. Of course, I'll need at least one free hand to roll with," Anti-Ankh said with a fiendish grin.  
  
"No. We'll each have someone roll for us," Malik said, looking at Scale.  
  
Unfortunately, Anti-Ankh caught on. "I choose Scale. Since he's closest to me, of course," he sneered.  
  
Malik glared at both of them. "Fine. I pick Rishid, then. Bakura will keep score and make sure no mind control goes on." Anti-Ankh looked a bit put out by this, but he agreed.  
  
"And our… scorekeeper… may set the rules," Anti-Ankh said, knowing that Bakura no longer wanted to win the Items. And that with Scale rolling the dice, he would win.  
  
"Well… all right. Each of you will have a die, and when you roll, the lowest number wins. You'll roll against each other 1001 times, no matter how much ahead either of you gets." Bakura found a pen and a piece of paper in his host's pocket to keep score on.  
  
Rishid and Scale each took a die. These had once contained a bit of Bakura's mind to make them roll winning numbers for him, but now they were just ordinary dice. The rolling commenced.  
  
Scale and Rishid took their time rolling, and Bakura always paused between rolls to announce the winner of the round and the total score so far. This put Anti-Ankh in a very bad mood, but he couldn't do anything about it. He tried to kick Scale, but he could barely even reach a few inches in front of him. So Scale scooted a few more inches away and they continued, hoping that the hour would pass and Ankh would return to his old self before he won. Because despite the fact that Scale was trying to lose, he couldn't get nearly enough bad rolls.  
  
After about 200 rolls, Anti-Ankh suggested that they just concede defeat since he was obviously winning anyway. But Malik refused.  
  
Soon after the 500th roll, the door burst open and Isis appeared. She had seen a vision of something horrible happening. Malik insisted that they pause the game so he could explain the situation to her. He began speaking, but suddenly her eyes got a glazed-over look. Scale, Bakura, and Rishid watched in concern as Malik kicked her in the shin and pulled her out of the room to continue their discussion.  
  
"Ankh, please stop this. You'll hate yourself for it when we all go back to normal," Scale said quietly as Bakura and Rishid discussed the score in hushed voices.  
  
Anti-Ankh gave Scale a withering look. "When I win the SIX Items here, I'm sure I'll be powerful enough to stay this way. And you will hate yourself for the way you are acting as well. So why don't you do yourself a favor and kill yourself right now?" He spat on Scale's face.  
  
Scale looked very hurt as he wiped his face clean. "I--"  
  
Anti-Ankh focused all his power into his finger and shot a highly concentrated beam of redness at Scale, who yelped and jumped away. "Do not speak, you filthy, worthless worm. I am your master, and you will grovel before me. Next time you anger me, it will mean your death."  
  
Scale crouched trembling before Anti-Ankh as Malik and Isis came back. Isis glared at Anti-Ankh and shot Scale a sympathetic glance. Bakura stopped Anti-Ankh from taking control of her again. She stood against the wall behind Malik, and the game continued. Outside, the sun had been black for a long time, but it would be completely uncovered again before long. The game continued.  
  
After 998 rolls Anti-Ankh had easily won, but there were three more rolls left. Rishid and Scale tossed their dice. As the dice left his hand, Scale's eyes began to narrow, and his forehead fell into its anger lines again. Bakura's face was doing the same thing. Both of their Items grew their Eyes of Horus once again.  
  
Meanwhile, Ankh's eyes returned to their former kind brightness and his forehead smoothed out… except for lined of fear and worry.  
  
"What… what have I done!" Ankh wailed. Shadi was suddenly in the chair again, having let Ankh back into his soul room. He looked very tired.  
  
Scale got up and stalked over to Malik, getting right up in his face. "If you EVER do ANYTHING like that again, I will kill everyone you hold dear slowly and painfully in front of you before I send you to Anubis." With that, he disappeared back into his own soul room. His Scales, still lying on the ground by the wall, went with him.  
  
  
  
Endnotes: Whew, that was long and intense. My shoulders are all stiff now. Oh, in the mythical "first season," Bakura played a tabletop RPG with Yugi called "Monster World," and he used his ten-sided dice in it. So that's your lesson of the day.  
Were you happy with everyone's characterization? I'm not sure if Bakura was very good… I liked Scale a lot, but Ankh didn't reach the level of evilness I wanted until right near the end. And I'm sure there were gaping plot holes everywhere, but all in all, I liked this chapter. Even if it was murder to type. What do you think of it? 


	27. The End is in Sight

Author's Notes: First off, I apologize for the general crappiness of this chapter. I should have stuck it at the end of the last chapter. But it was so long already! And I didn't write this until yesterday. Really fast. And it just leads up to the beginning of the end of the story. Oh, and when I get my DVDs and see the next time Shadi shows up, I'll try to write a chapter for that too.   
High Crystal Guardian, would you like to HAVE the Anti-Ankh? He's scary, we don't want him… He's yours if you want him! But you can't have nice Scale, he's mine. ^_^  
Ah, I knew I forgot something. Well, Malik explained everything to Isis, and really, what could she do about it?  
Yeep, I always update early in the morning! It might not have showed up for a while, though. Sorry to keep you in suspense!  
As usual, I'm not sure I got the characterization right for anyone but Shadi, Ankh, and Scale. But I really like writing for Malik. ^_^  
  
Isis: Indigo will never own Yu-Gi-Oh, and neither will you…  
  
  
  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
  
  
"That was most unpleasant," Shadi muttered. "Now that it is over, would someone please untie me?"  
  
Rishid brought a small knife out of his robe and went over to cut the ropes while Isis turned to her brother. "Malik, that may have been the most idiotic thing you've ever done. I do wish you would pay attention to the ancient lore you seem so interested in," she said.  
  
\\SHE wishes!? As if SHE was the one in danger?\\  
  
Shadi stood up and stretched, rubbing his wrists.  
  
"Oh relax, Isis. It's over, nothing happened, forget it," Malik said airily.  
  
Isis frowned and gave Malik a sharp thwack on the head. "Don't speak so lightly of it. We could all have died. The world could have ended."  
  
"You're leaving, Bakura?" Malik suddenly asked, seeing the white-haired thief move towards the door.  
  
"We'll meet up later, I'm sure," Bakura said without a backward glance.  
  
\\Hey… Wait! Stop him! I was about to win the Ring, Eye, AND Rod! I want to finish the game!\\  
  
/I seem to recall that it was Ankh who set the stakes and arranged the game. He would have won the Items had you finished, and it was his game to stop or continue at any time. I doubt he still wants those Items./  
  
"Shadi," Isis said, snapping the older Egyptian out of his inner conversation. "Would you care to come to my apartment to have lunch?" She glanced at Malik. "Perhaps my brother and Rishid could join us. But only for lunch."  
  
There was an awkward silence for a moment except in Shadi's mind where \\I won't eat with that psycho!\\ could be heard.  
  
"That depends. What are you having?" Malik asked. Rishid kept silent.  
  
Isis sighed. "Meat, I suppose. I have a bit of lamb in the freezer, I think."  
  
"Well, it's not my favorite, but I guess it'll do," Malik said.  
  
Isis nodded. Malik and Rishid followed her out to the street and Shadi followed behind them. Ankh was still in his soul room and wouldn't talk to anyone. Scale was outside his door screaming about how worthless the other spirit was. Shadi was developing a headache and was already very tired.  
  
/Scale, would you leave him alone? If you're going to be so loud, come out and take over. I should probably try to talk to Ankh, and it's quieter in there./ Shadi finally said.  
  
Scale immediately took over Shadi's body and kicked en empty soda can, managing to hit the legs of all three Egyptians in front of him. They turned to look and Scale grinned maliciously at them.  
  
"What's your problem?" Malik snarled. "You kick Shadi out or something?"  
  
"In fact, he told me to take over. He wants to talk to that whiny green-freak for some reason, so you're stuck with me," Scale taunted.  
  
"Then you may want to be more polite, or my brother may decide that you are not worth the trouble it takes to exist with you," Isis said calmly, continuing to walk home. Malik and Rishid followed, and Scale did too,, muttering ancient Egyptian curses to himself.  
  
/Ankh, don't dwell on the past. Nothing happened that could not be fixed and no one was hurt./  
  
//Scale was! I can't believe what I did… even worse, the things I said to him!//  
  
/He knows you weren't in your right mind. I doubt even HE would hold it against you./  
  
After a while they reached Isis's apartment. It was far cleaner than it had been the last time Shadi had come.  
  
"Malik, you may prepare the meat in any cooked, edible way you see fit," Isis said.  
  
"Oh, MAY I?" Malik asked sarcastically.  
  
Isis gave him a level look. "Yes. You may. Now, please. And Rishid, if you could set the table, I would appreciate it."  
  
Scale snickered and muttered something that sounded like "whipped" under his breath. Isis stared at him.  
  
"Scale, take some money and go get us something to drink. I'm afraid I'm out of everything besides water," she said.  
  
Scale's eyes lit up. "Oh gladly!"  
  
"Hmm… never mind. Rishid, you go. And get anything else you might want also. Scale, set the table. If anything is broken or damaged, you will pay for it ten times over." She handed Rishid some money and he left. Then she led Scale to the kitchen and handed him a stack of plates and forks. He almost flung them to the floor, but a glare from Isis made him stop.  
  
While Isis went to see what Malik was doing, Scale was muttering murderously, half to himself and half to Isis. "By Ra, I hate mortals. Did you find these forks on the street? This one has teeth marks in it! He'd better not ruin that meat. I've never seen such hideous plates in my life!" Scale threw the plates and forks down around the table. "You've got a plastic tablecloth? You'd probably need it. Filthy mortals… Are you finished yet?"  
  
This went on for quite a while. Rishid returned with some apple cider and a spice cake shortly before the food was ready.  
  
"Why'd you get THAT, you loser?" Scale asked him. Rishid raised an eyebrow but did not answer.  
  
"Isis!" Malik shouted. "I don't care if it's Shadi's body! If I hear that voice one more time I swear I'm going to kill him!"  
  
"For the good of all present, you should probably either return to your soul room or be quiet," Isis suggested.  
  
Scale glared at her for a moment, but then Shadi took over again. "I apologize for him," Shadi said.  
  
"Oh you're lucky your host took over!" Malik yelled.  
  
\\Let me out, I'll show HIM who's lucky!\\  
  
/Settle down, Scale. Why don't you talk to Ankh, he won't listen to me./  
  
\\You idiot! If you don't get out here now I'll pull all your hair out!\\  
  
/…Not that way. You know what I mean. And try to have some tact, please./  
  
The food was ready soon and they all ate slowly. Scale was still yelling at Ankh, but he was trying to knock the other spirit out of his own self-pity more than anything else. However, after the meal they had the cake Rishid had bought. Shadi took one bite and Scale immediately took over again. "What is this?" he demanded of Rishid.  
  
"Spice cake," Rishid answered.  
  
"What kind of spice?"  
  
"Mostly cinnamon, with some cloves and nutmeg, I believe."  
  
"Mmm…" Scale grinned and took another huge bite before Shadi took his body back, looking rather annoyed with crumbs falling out of his mouth.  
  
After they finished eating, Malik and Rishid stayed around to talk to Isis for a while, but they left after an hour or so. They missed each others' company, but they still agreed that it was best to go their separate ways. Isis warned Malik to be careful, and he and Rishid left.  
  
"I apologize for the inconvenience I've caused you," Shadi said gravely.  
  
"It was not your fault. HOPEFULLY my brother won't cause you this trouble again," Isis said, rolling her eyes slightly.  
  
"I won't deny that it could have been disastrous, but nothing too horrible happened. There was nothing that could be done about it," Shadi said, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Oh, forgive me. Please, rest here before you return to Egypt. You've had a tiring day, why don't you lie down for a while," Isis offered.  
  
"I… don't wish to impose, but I'm afraid that if I didn't, I might appear at the bottom of the sea again. Or perhaps inside a volcano. I would truly appreciate it," Shadi said reluctantly.  
  
"Of course. You may sleep in Malik's room. It's quieter and darker in there, and I cleaned it after he left so you will not find any… strange surprises," Isis said with a dark chuckle.  
  
Soon after Shadi lay down on Malik's old bed, he was asleep. Scale finally just told Ankh to quit sulking, and went back to his own soul room. Ankh was feeling a bit better, though he was still completely miserable.  
  
********************************************************************************************  
  
In a remote corner of the Shadow Realm, quite a few others had been paying close attention to the recent events.  
  
"I told you he was useless as a guardian!" one of the past guardians said. "The world could have been destroyed! The Balance would have been ruined forever. Something must be done!"  
  
"I knew he would be incompetent, but look at what he almost let happen!" Shadi's father shouted, gesturing wildly.  
  
"Quiet!" Sadin, the first guardian, commanded. "I have seen. While Shadi is in fact the most competent guardian we have had in many centuries…" He glances around accusingly. "…I agree that he has proven most ineffective recently. The Items are not being kept safe enough."  
  
"So will you have the next guardian take over the job? That girl with the Tauk?" asked a younger guardian.  
  
"No, I think not. He has still been incredibly successful. I believe these dark times merely call for… additional protection," Sadin said, stroking his beard thoughtfully.  
  
"What are you suggesting? Two guardians at once?" asked an old woman.  
  
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Tell me, what should we make this new guardian like?" Sadin asked.  
  
There was a lot of general muttering. "How do you propose we MAKE a new guardian?" asked Shadi's father skeptically.  
  
"Rather easily. Some mortals were sent here a while ago. We will mold their flesh and bones into the ideal guardian. However, we must plan his first. So what qualities, physical mental or spiritual, shall we give our supplementary guardian?"  
  
The crowd was quiet for a while, but then suggestions poured in.  
  
"Devoted!"  
  
"Strong."  
  
"Tall."  
  
"Big all over."  
  
"Obedient to our wishes."  
  
"Intelligent."  
  
"Not too intelligent!"  
  
"Give him some way to keep the Items safe, no matter what."  
  
"Some minor mind-reading power?"  
  
"Determination!"  
  
In the front of the group, a guardian who had once been a scribe was scribbling these ideas down and making some hasty sketches. After a moment he handed the papyrus sheet up to Sadin, who looked at it with mild approval.  
  
"My fellow guardians," he said, holding up the drawings for all to see, "HERE is what we shall make…"  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
Shadi woke early the next morning with the distinct feeling that he was missing something or had forgotten something. But he dismissed it for the moment and went out to find Isis waiting for him in the main room of the apartment.  
  
"I had a vision last night," she said without preamble, lightly touching the Tauk at her throat. "There is someone in your home, and he seems to be planning to stay for quite some time. You should probably return and find out what he wants before he gets too comfortable."  
  
\\What in Osiris's depths…\\  
  
//Who could it be?//  
  
\\Oh, you're awake? You aren't going to sit in there and whimper all day again, are you?\\  
  
//…No. I'm sorry, Scale. For everything.//  
  
\\Good, you should be! You owe me three Millennium Items!\\  
  
//That's not really what I was talking about…//  
  
\\Ha, if I thought you still meant any of the things you did yesterday, I'd send you to Anubis, buzzard face! I don't care about THAT!\\  
  
//Thanks for being so understanding, Scale!//  
  
\\I never said anything about that! You STILL owe me three Items.\\  
  
"Who is this person? What else do you know, Isis?" Shadi asked, trying to ignore his spirits momentarily.  
  
"I do not know. He seems very large, and protective of… something. He poses no direct threat to you, although don't take that to mean that you should let down your guard around him. He could be a serious threat to your present way of life," Isis answered.  
  
"I suppose a clear answer would be too much to ask?" Shadi said ruefully.  
  
"That is all I can gather from the Tauk," Isis said. "I suggest you leave as soon as possible."  
  
Shadi nodded. "I agree. Thank you for your hospitality."  
  
Isis gave a short nod of acknowledgement.  
  
/Ankh? Scale? Are you ready to return now?/  
  
//Yes. I wonder what that person wants…?//  
  
\\Hurry up, you lump!\\  
  
Shadi said goodbye to Isis and quickly chanted the words of the transport ritual. It still wasn't the most enjoyable experience ever, but it was far more comfortable than it had been the last time. Shadi sank smoothly through the floor.  
  
  
  
Endnotes: Ooh, the plot THICKENS! I got the idea for what's coming next from the newest manga in Japan. You'll see what I'm talking about next time, if you haven't already guessed.   
Oh, and the humans who Sadin said showed up a while ago are Pegasus's guards who Yami Bakura sent to the Shadow Realm with his Morphing Jar. It doesn't really matter, but I guess it makes sense…  
Oh yes, one more thing! Someone sent me fanart of Shadi, Chibi Ankh, and Chibi Scale. I saved the pictures and made them a little more visible (though they're still hard to see), but I forget who drew them! Please tell me who you are, because I'd like to put your pictures on my website and give you credit. They were so cute! 


	28. Confusion and Suspicion

Author's Notes: Ah, I forgot not everybody here reads my rants anymore. Well, here's a picture of this new guardian… Just take out all the spaces, because FF.N's being DUMB! h t t p : / / indigo. 1afm. com / images / bobasa. gif His name is Bobasa and he's from the newest manga in Japan. If you don't already know what that black square is blocking, please don't look it up, it might spoil the story. Besides, you don't want to see that, do you? Bleh. But you'll know when Shadi does. And if you DO know about him, I only have limited knowledge of him myself so I hope I can portray him the right way. But Shadi doesn't know a lot about him either, so I'll tell you about him later.  
Wow, lots of people want an Anti-Ankh of their own. He scares me… If you guys want him, take him. I'm sure he'll split into multiples if you want him to.  
If you want to draw Ankh and Scale (chibi or any other variety), go ahead! Or write about them! No one's stopping you. I'd like to see.  
Unrealistic's Scale/Box of Chocolates romance should be out by Valentine's Day (aw! That's the cutest things I've ever heard of! ^_^ [Scale: *gags*]) and Jaid Skywalker's Shadi/Isis story should be posted not too long after that (I'm really liking that couple right now!).  
Lots of dialogue in this chapter, and not a whole lot of action, but I can't do much until I see what Shadi does in Battle City! Rrg, stupid postal service!  
Oh, and no I will not insert any reviewers into this story. I wouldn't even do it for my favorite one, much less one who just showed up. Nor will I make up Millennium Items. Especially not this late in the story. I'm glad you like this, but if you want a self-insert, write your own.  
  
Scale: This fool doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh and you don't either, so go away! And stop falling in love with me and my lump of a host!  
-  
  
-  
Three-In-One Combo  
-  
  
Shadi reemerged in the desert right outside of town. He didn't want to appear right in his house and let his intruder have the advantage. Se he calmly walked home, pondering what to do about his problem.  
  
\\Go faster, you oaf!\\  
  
/I would rather give myself time to think./  
  
\\We don't HAVE the time it would take You to think! Besides, I'm sure your robes are attracting flies…\\  
  
//Even if they were, what does that have to do with anything?//  
  
\\If he goes faster, he can outrun them!\\  
  
//You know, I wonder about you sometimes, Scale.//  
  
When Shadi walked down the steps, he didn't have to look far to find his uninvited guest. There was an enormous man standing by the large tablet that used to hold the Millennium Items. He was almost twice Shadi's height and more than four times his width. Small, dark eyes that seemed a bit too close together glistened above a big bulbous nose. He also had a thick black mustache. His head was covered with a white turban, and he wore a purple vest and plain white pants.  
  
"Ah, master Shadi! Welcome home," the large man exclaimed, a huge smile spreading over his thick lips.  
  
\\OH GREAT THOTH! You have to WORK to be that hideous!!\\  
  
//Scale, that's not…//  
  
\\Nice? No. True. Definitely! Even you can see that, you blind moron!\\  
  
//…Last time I went along with your insults, it just got me in trouble.//  
  
\\Ha, you agree. Don't deny it. I'm rubbing off on you.\\  
  
//Ra forbid…//  
  
"Er… thank you," Shadi said, completely bewildered. "And who are you?"  
  
"Why master Shadi, I am Bobasa," the huge man said, laughing slightly and patting his stomach. Shadi noticed that his vest was fastened with locks.  
  
"And… why are you here?" Shadi asked.  
  
"I have always served you, master Shadi. It is my duty to protect the Millennium Items," Bobasa explained with a tolerant smile, but a strange gleam in his eye.  
  
//Shadi, he's… staring at the Ankh! I don't like it…//  
  
\\Scared of that elephant? Ha, I can't blame you! He could flatten even a Millennium Item!\\  
  
"And may I ask who sent you?" Shadi asked, eyes narrowed.  
  
"You of course, master Shadi! I can keep the Items safest. And I will protect our Pharaoh and his honored memories," Bobasa answered. He was noticeably focusing on the Ankh around Shadi's neck.  
  
Shadi frowned and put his hand up to cover the Ankh. /I am hesitant to place any trust in this man. Ankh, what do you sense from him?/  
  
//Loyalty. Obedience. Not exactly bad… But there's something… wrong about him. He doesn't seem quite human. He feels… artificial.//  
  
\\I've seen mummified cats with more attractive faces than that! If you trust him, you're more of an idiot than I thought! Even ANKH doesn't trust him, and HE'S stupid enough to trust ANYONE!\\  
  
/In this case, I agree. Be on your guard, both of you./  
  
//Please make him stop staring at the Ankh! It's scaring me!//  
  
/I'll certainly wear it under my robes until we get rid of him./  
  
\\What's with those locks on his vest? Does he have to lock all that fat in?\\  
  
"And… how long have you been here?" Shadi asked, not really expecting a satisfactory answer.  
  
"Always," Bobasa answered with a slight bow of respect.  
  
//He's not evil. I don't think he has any bad intentions. But still I don't trust him…//  
  
"Well then, where have you been sleeping?" Shadi asked. "My bed is the only one here. And I certainly don't have enough food for you."  
  
\\He'll eat all the food here in one meal! And I'll bet he snores!\\  
  
"Of course not, master Shadi. I would not drain your resources. I eat in town and sleep in there," Bobasa said, pointing to the room with the refrigerator.  
  
Shadi quickly looked into the other room. "There is no bed in there."  
  
Bobasa looked in, confused. "No? Perhaps something happened to it. May I go purchase another?"  
  
Shadi raised his eyebrows. "Ah… if you like. Go ahead." The huge man bowed and left.  
  
/He must have endless money to throw around…/  
  
\\He'd have to, just look at him! He'll eat the town bare in less than a week! You're going to kick him out as soon as he's back, aren't you?\\  
  
//You… can't do that. He really believes everything he said. He has nowhere else to go. Even if he makes me nervous, I wouldn't kick him out.//  
  
\\It's not your decision! Be quiet!\\  
  
/I'm not really sure what to do… For now though, he can stay unless he puts me or any Items in danger. Hopefully he will not be here long./ Shadi carefully slipped the Ankh under his robes, out of sight.  
  
\\You'll regret it!\\  
  
/Oh I suspect I will. But I really have no other choice./ Shadi went to quickly grab a sandwich before Bobasa returned. /Ankh, see what you can gather from his mind when he gets back./  
  
//All right. From what I saw, he has memories, but there are some huge holes in them. Like someone told him what he needed to know and nothing more. I've never seen anything like this before… Not like the Pharaoh who lost his memories. More like someone who never had them to begin with.//  
  
/What can that mean?/  
  
\\That he's really a mindless golem who we should get rid of?\\  
  
//But Scale, even if you're right, he thinks he's a normal person. And he's so devoted to Shadi, we can't just…//  
  
\\Yes we can. I will.\\  
  
/No, Scale. Let's see what we can learn about him before we do anything. This is far too strange to just push away./  
-  
  
Bobasa returned just as Shadi finished his sandwich. He carried a mattress under each arm, in addition to a huge blanket and pillow. He also had a huge sack thrown over his shoulder.  
  
"Would you like some, master Shadi?" Bobasa asked as he dropped the bedding and began opening the sack.  
  
"Er… No thank you. I just ate," Shadi said, watching Bobasa put layers of meat and cheese on a three foot-long piece of bread.  
  
\\By Set, look at him eat…\\  
  
//It's a wonder he doesn't get indigestion…//  
  
\\Look, he has a whole chocolate cake! He's going to eat it whole! Talk about injustice! There's a wrong that I'd be willing to right…\\  
  
/NO, Scale!/ The Scales glowed slightly under Shadi's robe, but Shadi managed to keep Scale from coming out of his Item.  
  
\\You're not buying into that whiney wimp's 'nice' talk, are you!? What's your problem today? Let me out!\\  
  
/It has nothing to do with being nice or polite. I don't know if he realizes that the Items are anything more than powerful artifacts. It may be advantageous for us to keep that from him./  
  
//But it sounded like he knew that the Pharaoh is still in existence…//  
  
/Perhaps he only knows about the Pharaoh then. We can't be sure, so let's be cautious for now. Still, I'll try to find out./  
  
"Ah… Bobasa… a silly question, I'm sure, but… what do you know about the Millennium Items taking control of their hosts?" Shadi asked.  
  
Bobasa wiped the crumbs from his bushy mustache. "Master Shadi, you know that it happens to those too weak to control the Items. Ones such as you need not worry. But once the Pharaoh is restored, the other spirits will have no choice but to obey him." He smiled as if everything would be perfect then.  
  
//Is that… true?//  
  
\\Shows how much that hippo knows! That wouldn't happen. The Pharaoh couldn't control most of us back when he had real power, and he won't be able to even if he gets all the Items.\\  
  
//…Shadi?//  
  
/I don't know. I would hope not , but who can say?/  
  
//That's not very reassuring…//  
  
/Hmm, no it isn't. Then I wish you both luck in the future, because you may need it./  
  
\\Oh thanks, a lot of help YOU are!\\  
  
/If the Pharaoh keeps all the other spirits of the Items under his thumb, I doubt that a mere mortal, even a guardian, could do anything about it./  
  
//Well… Bobasa seems to be eager to protect the Items. Maybe if we asked his help…//  
  
A figurative light suddenly went on in Shadi's mind. /Haven't you been listening to him? His attitude towards the Items is that of the former guardians…/  
  
\\Those treacherous SNAKES! Then THEY put him here! If I ever get hold of them…\\  
  
/Normally I would tell you not to threaten people, but this time I'm inclined to agree. Their lack of faith in my abilities disturbs me. As does this helper they've sent me…/  
  
\\So we all attack them the next time we see them?\\  
  
/It sounds reasonable./  
  
//…I agree.//  
  
\\Oh, even you? I'm impressed, asp-face.\\  
  
//They should have more faith in Shadi! He's a better guardian than any of them. I can't believe how little they trust him!//  
-  
  
For the rest of the day Bobasa made casual conversation with Shadi. The large man was a bit more talkative than Shadi cared for, but it wasn't completely awful. Bobasa really seemed to like Shadi, as creepy as the big man could be. When night fell, Bobasa set up his bed and lay down on his back. Shadi, in the other room, realized that his guest might not be as tolerable as he had hoped.  
  
\\I'LL TORTURE HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY!!\\  
  
//Can't you go somewhere else to sleep? I could never hope to ignore something like this!//  
  
/If I go sleep outside, I'll freeze. And I doubt even that would help. Hopefully the neighbors won't form an angry mob…/  
  
\\I hope they do. I told you that fat blob would snore!\\  
  
Shadi, Ankh, and Scale got very little sleep that night or in nights to come.  
-  
  
-  
Endnotes: First of all, I don't like Bobasa. He shouldn't be taking what little spotlight Shadi gets. But with the story I gave him at least, I can't help but pity him. It's not his fault. That doesn't mean I like him, though. Or that Shadi, Ankh, or Scale do. Because none of us really do. But they wouldn't kick him out either. 


	29. God Cards and Vagueness

Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long! I was looking for an episode summary. Finally found one, too! Guess what! The next chapter's going to be the last. I'll miss it. *sniffle* But I can get back to "The Cost of Weakness" then.  
First of all, you must go read Unrealistic's "My Sweet" (posted under the name of Yami-chan) and Jaid Skywalker's "Aishiteru" because they're really great. The first one's the funniest thing you'll ever read, and the second one is a wonderful start of a Valentine's Day fic, with Shadi and Isis being one of the couples.  
Of course, I try to stick some humor into every chapter! I'm glad I sometimes succeed! ^_^  
Now this is vaguely what happens with Shadi in Battle City. I couldn't find the specifics, though. But next season, we'll see how accurate it is! I almost had Yami Yugi calling Isis "Ishizu," but I didn't. ^_^ And guess what, I'm using the God Cards' real names! Ha ha, dubbers! Oh, and I know Shadi doesn't seem to like Yami Yugi much, but I don't think he really does. That, and I'm not too fond of him at the moment.  
  
Scale: Thank Ra, it's almost over! And this idiot still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Heh, the postal service ate her DVDs. ^_^  
  
_  
_  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
_  
After the first night Bobasa spent, Shadi went out bright and early to invest in some earplugs. Unfortunately, no one was selling sound-proof helmets. A few weeks later Shadi and Ankh were used to the thunderous snoring, though Scale still complained about it.  
  
Bobasa however, was finding that things were not quite the way his mind had led him to believe. Shadi was not the hard taskmaster he remembered living with. He got used to Shadi's relatively easygoing nature quickly. He also noticed that two of the Items he was sworn to protect were being carefully guarded from him. Right under his nose. He spent a while pondering why this could be…  
  
Shadi, still a bit displeased with suddenly having a new housemate, started spending a lot more time away from home. Sometimes he, Ankh, and Scale would just go out to the desert to avoid angry neighbors. Ankh was constantly kept busy using his powers to make people think that they really didn't mind the nightly racket coming from Shadi's house.  
  
Things continued on like this for a while. Then one morning Shadi was quietly nibbling on some toast while Bobasa inhaled a three-course breakfast. Shadi suddenly stopped and blinked.  
  
/Do you feel that?/  
  
\\The earth shaking under that buffoon's feet? Yes. Constantly.\\  
  
//No Scale, all that power… The Pharaoh's…//  
  
/It's even stronger than when six of the Items were together…/  
  
\\Hmm? Oh. I've felt more power than that. It's not so special.\\  
  
/It's the other Items, but it's also… the God Cards! All three of them! By Thoth, what power…/  
  
//The Items and the God Cards… All that is needed to restore the Pharaoh.//  
  
"Is anything wrong, master Shadi?" Bobasa asked, snapping Shadi back to the room.  
  
"Not yet. I believe I'll go to Japan to check on things, though." Shadi finished off his toast and stood.  
  
Bobasa's eyes glittered. "Has something happened to the Items, Master Shadi? I should accompany you. I can keep them safest here." He patted his chest.  
  
\\What a COMPLETE moron…\\  
  
//But what does he mean…?//  
  
"No, that will not be necessary," Shadi said with a slight frown, a bit confused himself. "It will not take long, I hope. It is only a shift in power, do not be concerned. If I do not return today, I should be back tomorrow."  
  
Bobasa gave a short bow and watched as Shadi put one hand to each of his Items under his robe. The ground rippled and Shadi sank through it.  
  
"Master Shadi either has more faith in the safety of the Items or does not trust me to keep them safe," Bobasa mused to himself. "Perhaps he is right and there is no reason to worry…" His eyes went vacant for a moment and then became more focused than before. "No, the Items must be protected. At any cost…"  
  
************************************************************************************************************  
  
Shadi rose up on some sort of moving surface. As the ground solidified under him, he staggered to keep his balance.  
  
\\Oh Ra, I may be sick… What is this!?\\  
  
/Some sort of air ship, it seems. I wish we had come up inside rather than on the roof…/ Shadi slipped the Ankh out of his robe.  
  
//What's going on over there?// Ankh directed their attention to two boys near the edge of the ship. One had a single spike of brown hair pointing in front of his head, and the other had spiky black hair in a ponytail and surprisingly green eyes. The second one looked vaguely familiar… It looked like they were fighting. They were so wrapped up in their own argument that they hadn't even noticed Shadi yet. Shadi approached them silently.  
  
The fight suddenly heated up, and fists started flying. Suddenly the brown-haired one slipped, causing them both to fall over the rail.  
  
//Shadi, quick, pull them up!// Ankh screamed.  
  
\\Why? They're not important\\  
  
/Be that as it may Scale, it wouldn't do to let them fall./ Shadi moved to the rail and grabbed the brown-haired boy's wrist as he hung on to the other boy, pulling them both to safety. The two boys took a minute to catch their breath, but Shadi was gone by the time they looked up.  
  
-  
Shadi walked through the halls of the airship, having finally found the stairs.  
  
//I sense the other Items here… and the God Cards too. Who are we going to talk to?//  
  
/Hmm… Isis and Yugi, I think. Whoever is closest./  
  
//I can feel the Puzzle just a few meters away. The second door on the left, I think.//  
  
The door was not completely shut, so Shadi took a look before letting himself in and silently shutting the door behind him. The young host of the Pharaoh's spirit lay on a bad, worriedly looking up at the ceiling. It looked like he was talking to the dark spirit in his Puzzle.  
  
"Young one…" Shadi remained by the door.  
  
Yugi jumped slightly and looked up. His big eyes nearly took over his whole face. "You're… Shadi!" he exclaimed.  
  
\\Obviously the Pharaoh surrounds himself with idiots to make himself feel smarter.\\  
  
"Yes, I appear to be," Shadi agreed. "I would like to speak with the spirit of your Puzzle."  
  
//Could I talk to Yugi? I'd like to know more about the Pharaoh…//  
  
/If you like./ "And my Ankh's spirit would like to speak with you."  
  
"Oh, all right. Can we do that at the same time?" Yugi wondered.  
  
"If you both go into the same soul room. Or you both separate from your counterparts," Shadi said.  
  
"Um, okay," Yugi said, a little confused. "Yami would probably rather talk to you alone, so I guess he can come into my mind if he wants. He looks like you, right?"  
  
Shadi grimaced. "No. That would be Scale. And knowing him, he will probably accompany Ankh." /Go ahead./  
  
\\You think I want to be around those two wimps!?\\  
  
/I suspect you'd enjoy them more than the Pharaoh and myself./  
  
Both of Shadi's Items glowed and Ankh and Scale appeared. Yugi gasped and stepped back.  
  
"Dramatic little brat, isn't he?" Scale said dryly. "Hurry it up!"  
  
"It's all right Yugi, we won't hurt you," Ankh assured Yugi. "May we come in?" He took the Ankh off and pointed it at Yugi's head.  
  
"Uh, sure," Yugi said cautiously, but slightly reassured by Ankh's friendliness. Ankh quickly put a hand on Scale's shoulder and they disappeared before Scale could pull away. As that happened, the Puzzle glowed and suddenly the Pharaoh was there in the little host's place.  
  
"Pharaoh," Shadi greeted him with a slight nod of respect, but not servitude.  
  
"…Shadi." The spirit's eyes never left the guardian's. "To what do I owe this second intrusion upon my privacy as your two spirits speak to my host without my permission?"  
  
Shadi frowned. "Your host gave his own permission. And I suspect you will be interested in what I have to say." The Pharaoh had a way of rubbing Shadi the wrong way as few others could.  
  
"Very well then, you are free to speak," Yami Yugi said with narrowed eyes. He wasn't amazingly fond of Shadi either.  
  
"Thank you," Shadi said acidly. "I understand that you have encountered the God Cards."  
  
Yami Yugi frowned. "Yes. Their powers astound me. I have acquired Saint Dragon, God of Osiris already."  
  
"And have you also heard of how they were made?"  
  
"The one who was guarding them told me a bit," the Pharaoh said. "Pegasus painted them, but they were so powerful that he had them hidden away in Egypt."  
  
"I see you've spoken to Isis, then," Shadi said.  
  
"So what is there left to know?" Yami Yugi asked.  
  
"Pegasus went to great lengths to find the pictures of the three gods. He then spent a long time modifying them and adding more detail. But after he had rough sketches and gave them to his team of artists to make into cards, terrible things started to happen. Dozens of them were killed and the God Cards were not completed."  
  
"But they WERE completed. Look, here is Osiris." Yami Yugi took out his deck of cards and showed the red dragon god.  
  
Shadi blinked hard at the sudden pressure behind his eyes. "Yes, I see. Please put it away, if you could."  
  
Yami Yugi looked surprised. "Very well." He put Osiris back in his deck and put it down. Shadi rubbed the top of his nose in relief.  
  
"Thank you… Since the other artists could not finish the God Cards, Pegasus took on the task himself. With the completion of the cards, the powers of the gods themselves were let loose. They could only be controlled by those who worshipped them in the past and those peoples' descendents. The greatest of the three will only obey one who can read and speak the ancient language fluently."  
  
"What do you mean, control?" the Pharaoh demanded.  
  
"Yes. Otherwise they may not do anything at all. Or they may turn on their owners. So see that you do not let any of your mortal friends use it if you value their lives."  
  
"Dare you threaten my friends!?" the spirit asked angrily.  
  
Shadi sighed. "I only intended to warn you. As you probably know, Pegasus gave the God Cards to Isis, who had them buried. But of course they were taken away, and the world may be in danger again."  
  
Yami Yugi nodded solemnly. "Yes, I know. And again, I must save the world."  
  
"Er… I suppose," said Shadi, though he really didn't approve of the attitude of the Pharaoh.  
  
"And you will tell me how?" the dark spirit prompted.  
  
"I will merely point the way. You must walk the path yourself. All the components you need to restore your memories and powers are here on this very ship."  
  
"I have very little time for your riddles, Shadi. Can you not just tell me of my past?"  
  
Shadi's frown bordered on a glare. "I am afraid it does not work that way. They are YOUR memories, not mine."  
  
"I just want a straight answer! Even Isis speaks more clearly than you do!" the irritated Pharaoh said.  
  
"I will NOT spoon-feed your memories to you. HOPEFULLY you can figure out how to find them for yourself," Shadi said icily.  
  
*************************************************************************************************************  
  
Ankh and Scale entered Yugi's mind and Scale jerked away from Ankh with a resentful glare. Ankh sighed tolerantly and went to knock on the door of Yugi's soul room. The door quickly opened and Yugi smiled up at them nervously.  
  
"Hello! Please come in!" Yugi said politely.  
  
"Thank you!" Ankh said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I wanted to talk to you about the spirit of your Puzzle." He followed Yugi into the room. After kicking the Pharaoh's soul room door and stubbing his toe, Scale hobbled into Yugi's room too, cursing under his breath. He wasn't watching where he was going, so he tripped over a couple of giant dice on the floor and nearly fell.  
  
"Clean your room once in a while, you little slug!" Scale hissed as Yugi tried to apologize. Ankh muffled a giggle but still managed to ask if he was all right. Scale didn't answer, of course.  
  
"What do you want to know about Yami?" Yugi asked. "I don't know a lot myself, but I'll try to help you."  
  
"For one thing, how do you get your hair to do that!?" Scale asked, poking Yugi's hair.  
  
"Oh, well I use a little gel to shape it, but it sticks up on its own," said Yugi hesitantly.  
  
"Er… actually, we were wondering… What does the Pharaoh -- Yami -- intend to do once he regains his memories and… power?" Ankh asked, slightly worried.  
  
Yugi frowned. "I don't really know. I think then he'll leave. Go back to his own time, maybe." He looked a little sad.  
  
"How does he expect to do that? Will we all be taken back there?" Scale demanded.  
  
"I don't know," Yugi said. "I think his memories are a doorway or something. But I don't really understand."  
  
"Ha, you wouldn't!" Scale snorted.  
  
"Scale, that's enough! Er, Yugi, what does Yami think of… the other Millennium spirits?" Ankh asked, thinking of what Bobasa had said about the Pharaoh controlling the rest of them.  
  
"Well, he doesn't like Yami Bakura. And I don't think he knows you two well enough to like or dislike you. I don't know about the other Items, if they even have spirits. I think Malik's Rod has a spirit too... And I'm sure Yami doesn't like him either," Yugi said thoughtfully.  
  
"Then we can only pray he doesn't get the God Cards…" Scale muttered, kicking a block across the floor.  
  
"Oh, we already have one! The God of Osiris!" Yugi said cheerfully.  
  
Scale's eyes went wide for a second, then they narrowed dangerously. "If he gets any MORE, I'll make you sorry you ever touched that Puzzle."  
  
"Scale, don't threaten him!" Ankh reprimanded him.  
  
"Did you know him!?" exclaimed Yugi. "Please tell me about him!"  
  
"Not a chance, pest! It doesn't work that way even if I WANTED to tell you! He has to find it on his own," said Scale, kicking a ball at Yugi.  
  
"Please, I really want to know!" Yugi persisted, turning to Ankh.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you either," Ankh said sadly. "I barely remember any of my past life."  
  
/Ankh! Scale! I hope you're finished. Come on./ Ankh and Scale looked up at their host's voice, which Yugi couldn't hear.  
  
"Oh, I guess we have to go now. It was very nice talking to you though, Yugi. Good luck to you," Ankh said. He smiled and Scale glared as they disappeared and returned to Shadi's mind.  
  
\\Have fun with the Pharaoh of freaky hair?\\  
  
/I will think twice before coming to speak to him again. I hope your visit was more productive./ Shadi left the room.  
  
//Well… not really. You know he has the God of Osiris?//  
  
/Yes./  
  
\\Damn pharaoh and his little leech…\\  
  
/Is Isis nearby, Ankh?/  
  
//Yes, down the hall. To the right. This door.//  
  
Shadi knocked and was greeted by Isis's voice.  
  
"Come in, Shadi," she said.  
  
Shadi entered. "I hear you have been speaking with the Pharaoh."  
  
"Yes, but I let nothing significant be revealed. I trust you've seen him?"  
  
Shadi frowned slightly. "Yes…"  
  
"Where is your undying loyalty, oh Guardian of the Millennium Items?" Isis asked, barely suppressing a laugh.  
  
\\Heh heh… It died long ago!\\  
  
"I am entirely loyal to the Pharaoh, as you know. I merely would not care to spend much time with him," Shadi explained. "I told him of the God Cards, and he is eager to 'save the world again,' or so he says."  
  
"He is quite devoted," Isis agreed. "So did you deal with your visitor?"  
  
"Ah… yes… We think he was sent, or even made, by the previous guardians of the Items. I am not sure why, but he seems eager to please," Shadi said, shrugging.  
  
"Hmm… be careful of him," Isis said slowly.  
  
Shadi nodded. "That reminds me, I requested that you be appointed as the next guardian when I am no longer able to protect the Items. You may want to prepare."  
  
This startled Isis. "You don't plan on dying soon, do you? Just how old are you, Shadi?"  
  
"No more than a few years older than you, I'm sure. But one never knows… And you are the only other Item holder, past or present, whom I would trust to guard them successfully," Shadi said.  
  
"Thank you for your confidence," Isis said in a quiet, calm voice. Shadi realized that she might not be quite as all-knowing as she seemed. He bowed to her and left. Finding the hallway empty, he put the Ankh back under his robe, concentrated on his Items, and sank into the floor.  
  
-  
-  
Endnote: Wow, I'm really finding myself wanting to write a Shadi/Isis now. Not that I'll ever get around to it.  
But anyway, I really hope you liked this! Sorry if it's choppy and inaccurate, but I haven't seen this episode and the mailmen are all against me…  
But I cannot BELIEVE how many reviews this has. It could conceivably get 400 by the time I finish. That is... amazing. You people rule SO unbelievably much!!! ^_^ 


	30. Three IN One

Author's Notes: *sob* I love this story so much… First I'll let you know that I'm not completely satisfied with this as an ending. I'm leaving it wide open for a sequel, but I probably won't write one. I may write a prequel, but I don't know about that either. Or a Shadi/Isis, but it would have to be timed before this. You'll see why when you read. And I can't see myself going through life never writing about Ankh and Scale again, so expect to see them again some day. Oh, and I may take a while off from "The Cost of Weakness" to get caught up on school stuff and find a way to get it into the Monster World storyline…  
Just so you know, any fics written with Ankh and Scale in them, or just Shadi but written because of this (I'm so cool ^_^) will be listed in my bio for you to check out. So please go read and review them, if you haven't already.  
Yep, the last chapter was based on episode 85. That'll be next season for those of us stuck with the dub.  
Okay, you need a new picture of Bobasa now. Because now you'll find out what's on his chest. So here: http: / / theria. net/ yugioh/ gallery/ 282/ 282-01. gif Just take out the spaces. Disturbing, huh?  
  
Scale: OH THANK RA IT'S OVER! And that moron still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Or us anymore!!  
Indigo: Who told you that? I'm far too attached to you guys to get rid of you now! ^_^  
  
-  
-  
Three-In-One Combo!  
  
-  
Bobasa was waiting for Shadi when he returned. His eyes went to Shadi's chest and waist where his Items lay, as they often did.  
  
\\I wish that oaf would just go away. Or at least bathe more often!\\  
  
"Welcome back, Master Shadi. Did your trip go well?" Bobasa asked.  
  
"As well as could be expected," Shadi said with a slight shrug. "Did anything happen here while I was away?"  
  
"I believe one of the neighbors came to visit, but she left quickly when I said you were not home." Bobasa wasn't smiling quite as much as he normally did. He seemed to be thinking about something.  
  
\\Why don't we just let them forcefully evict him?\\ Scale suggested evilly.  
  
//We can't do that!//  
  
/They are too intimidated by his size to do so anyway./ "Very well," Shadi said aloud. He went and got a book to read, but Bobasa wasn't finished yet.  
  
"Then the Items are safe?" the big man asked, never taking his eyes off Shadi.  
  
"Yes, for the moment. Do not concern yourself," Shadi answered, not looking up.  
  
Bobasa smiled and rubbed the locks on his vest. "You must be tired, Master Shadi. Why don't you go… rest for a while," he said quietly, staring at the Items he knew were under Shadi's robe.  
  
"…No. I am not at all tired. Though perhaps YOU have something else to do," Shadi said, narrowing his eyes suggestively.  
  
"Ah. Perhaps." Bobasa's eyes were narrower than usual as well. He gave a short bow before leaving the house.  
  
//What do you think he's planning?//  
  
\\I told you we should have kicked him out.\\  
  
/At the time it seemed like a bad idea. And I doubt trying now would deter him from any plan he has. From the way he watches the Items, I'd say he plans to take them, though he seems to think it would be for their own good./  
  
\\Let me send him to Anubis!\\  
  
//But he's not a bad person. I think he'd pass the test.//  
  
\\It's infuriating when that happens… I lose so many victims that way.\\  
  
//So what should we do, Shadi?//  
  
/Wait. And be cautious. What else CAN we do?/  
  
//We could at least try to talk to him.//  
  
/That's true. When he gets back, perhaps I will./  
  
However, Bobasa did not return. Shadi read, meditated, talked to Ankh and Scale, and took a walk around town before coming back to polish his Items. As the night deepened, he started feeling tired.  
  
/I probably should stay up at least until Bobasa returns./  
  
//He wouldn't attack you in your sleep. At least I don't think so. You can talk to him tomorrow.//  
  
\\Don't count on it! He'll slit your throat the moment you let your guard down!\\  
  
Despite Scale's paranoia, all three fell asleep after an hour or so. So none of them noticed when a large dark shadow crept into Shadi's home and came to stand beside his bed. A knife flashed in the low torchlight. It hovered by Shadi's neck, but lowered to cut a slit in Shadi's robe over his chest. The person's hand held the rope that tied the Ankh around Shadi's neck, carefully cutting through it…  
  
-  
Ankh was sleeping peacefully in his soul room when he sat up quickly, realizing that something was wrong. Shadi… no, he wasn't in mortal danger. But the Ankh was being held in the hands of someone else.  
  
"SHADI!" Ankh shouted before separating from his Item and appearing in the room.  
  
-  
Shadi's eyes snapped open in time to see Bobasa holding the Ankh in one hand and putting his other hand up to his mouth. Ankh looked frightened and angry as he grabbed the Ankh and tried to take it back.  
  
"What are you doing!? Return the Ankh to me," Shadi ordered, stalking over to stand beside the green-clad spirit.  
  
"Let go of my Ankh!" Ankh demanded, trying to take it back.  
  
Bobasa's eyes flashed in annoyance. He reached into his mouth and took a key off of his tongue. Never relinquishing his hold on the Ankh, he carefully unlocked his vest. "Master Shadi, you cannot keep the spirits of your Items locked away and silenced? It appears I was almost too late. This parasite could have been some trouble." With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Ankh's spirit flying into the wall.  
  
"You will not harm them," Shadi stated coldly, eyes flashing in anger. The Scales glowed and Scale appeared. He glanced angrily at Ankh, who was getting to his feet, rubbing his back, then he approached Bobasa with a deadly glint in his eye.  
  
Bobasa narrowed his eyes and opened his vest. Shadi, Ankh and Scale's eyes widened and Ankh let out a small gasp as they saw what lay beneath it. Bobasa's chest had imprints in it shaped like the Millennium Items. He placed the Ankh in front of its imprint.  
  
"NO!" Ankh shouted, dashing towards Bobasa. He didn't know what would happen when the Ankh was placed in the imprint, but he had a bad feeling about it. Scale didn't trust it either. He grabbed his Scales and swung them at Bobasa like a mace, but Shadi grabbed him and pulled him back. He tried to reach for Ankh too, but the other spirit wasn't close enough to him.  
  
"STOP!" Shadi commanded, whether to Bobasa or Ankh. But it was too late. As the Ankh settled in Bobasa's chest, the imprint behind it glowed. Ankh cried out in agony as he was sucked into his Item against his will. Shadi felt an intense pain in his mind and couldn't help letting out his own shout of pain. Scale clenched his teeth and tried to pull away from Shadi, who drew him farther away from Bobasa.  
  
"Bobasa," Shadi said angrily, "Give me back my Ankh. NOW."  
  
"The duty of a guardian is to protect the Items. Even from another guardian, or the errant spirits inside them," Bobasa said, now eyeing Scale.  
  
"ERRANT! I'll show YOU errant, you goon!" Scale yanked his arm out of Shadi's grasp and stooped to pick up the knife Bobasa had dropped. He charged the huge man, feigning to the left and then stabbing high up almost on Bobasa's shoulder blade, right next to the Ankh. He twisted the knife and pulled, but the Ankh didn't move. Scale's eyes widened in shock. Bobasa growled and reached out to grab the Scales. Shadi quickly stepped in and managed to strike Bobasa's hand hard enough to make him draw it back.  
  
"My Items need no protection," Shadi said icily. "Return my Ankh and leave Scale alone"  
  
"I told you, I can keep the Items safest in the flesh safe," Bobasa said, patting the shape of the Scales in his belly.  
  
"Be that as it may, they are mine. No one but their true owner may use them. If you will not give my Ankh back, we will have to challenge you for it." Shadi glared at Bobasa.  
  
"You think you're so superior… you couldn't beat me at any game, mortal… And if Ankh's right, you're not even a real mortal!" Scale hissed. "Go on, just try it. And when I win, the Ankh is mine."  
  
Bobasa gave a disgusted snort and looked at Shadi, refusing to speak to Scale. "I do not wish to fight you or any strange ghosts. I only want to keep the Items safe, not own them. I will not tell you again. Give me the Scales now."  
  
"You DARE ignore me!?" Scale screamed.  
  
"Scale." Shadi commanded his silence with a single word, taking the Scales out form under his robe. Scale gave a determined glare and disappeared back into his Item to optimize its strength. Shadi held the Scales out in front of him. "What makes you think the Items are not safe with me?"  
  
"Perhaps they are now. But for the Pharaoh to be restored, they will need better protection. And he must be assisted before anything else." Shadi watched, expecting to see the white feather of Ma'at and the physical form of Bobasa's soul. But there was nothing. The Scales did not move.  
  
Bobasa took advantage of Shadi's surprise and snatched the Scales from him. Shadi held on out of instinct, so his fingers were caught between the post of the Scales and the skin behind them. He grabbed at the Ankh with his free hand and tried to jerk them both out of Bobasa's flesh. The spirits of the Ankh and Scales grabbed on to his own spirit and tried to hold on as much as they could. Their bond with him was all that allowed them to reach out to him.  
  
Unfortunately, the only thing Bobasa had been missing was Shadi himself. Drawing on Shadi's ownership of the Items, he used the raw power of the Items to do what the Ring was best at. Shadi's fingers unclenched and his limp body collapsed at Bobasa's feet. Using the Ankh far more easily now, the large guardian healed the knife wound next to the Ankh. Then he locked his vest again, put the key on his tongue, and swallowed it for safekeeping. Patting his chest once more in satisfaction, he went to the back room to get some sleep.  
  
**********************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Shadi woke up to find Ankh frantically shaking him. The spirit's green eyes were wide with fear, which didn't completely vanish when he saw that Shadi was awake. Scale stood nearby, his back to Shadi and Ankh with is arms crossed tightly over his chest.  
  
"Oh Shadi, I'm so glad you're all right," Ankh said in a shaky voice.  
  
Scale turned and walked over to the other two. "I wouldn't quite say that. But I told you that lump wouldn't be here if he was dead and gone."  
  
Shadi frowned at Scale. "What do you mean? What happened?"  
  
"If you weren't such a dunce…" Scale muttered. "That hippo used your own powers connected to the Items to separate your soul from your body, so now it looks like you have to stay here with us."  
  
"I think… your body's dead," Ankh said softly, looking miserable. "You're a spirit now. Like… us."  
  
"My body…" Shadi said quietly, looking down at himself. His robe was no longer ripped, and he still had both of his Items in their customary positions.  
  
"Consider yourself lucky," Scale said. "Maybe now you'll have time to learn how to stop being such a loser. If you had kicked that… enormous… THING out when he first showed up, we wouldn't be stuck here!"  
  
Shadi narrowed his eyes. "Have you tried to escape yet?"  
  
"Of course I have, buzzard beak!" Scale snapped irritably. "We're stuck here!" He gestured at the wide expanse of gray space around them. "We can't separate from our Items while they're in… HIM. I can't even get to the Shadow Realm, and we can't do a transporation spell either."  
  
"We can hardly even see or hear what's going on around him…" Ankh said, his voice breaking in fear.  
  
Shadi looked at his lighter spirit, who looked about ready to have a nervous breakdown. "Calm down, Ankh," he said, laying a hand lightly on Ankh's shoulder. "I suppose we're all really stuck, so we may as well get used to the idea…"  
  
"You expect me to just sit here and do NOTHING!?" Scale exclaimed. His eyes were wild, and Shadi could see that in his own way he was just as panicked as Ankh.  
  
"Certainly not," Shadi said. "We have to be ready to try to escape again at a moment's notice. Keep track of what Bobasa does as much as you can. Especially you, Ankh. You should be more attuned to his thoughts than either of us. Perhaps when he opens his vest, or certainly when he takes out the Items to use them, we should be able to try to escape."  
  
Ankh nodded, but then Scale spoke up. "Wait, what are YOU talking about?" He kicked Shadi's leg lightly. "You don't have your OWN Item. You just use ours. And your body should rot soon. You're just a disembodied spirit, even worse than us."  
  
Shadi blinked in surprise. "I didn't realize… I could come out through your Items though. Did it take a long time to get used to being… the way you are?"  
  
"From what I can tell, I lost all my memories when I was sealed into the Ankh. So it took me a long time to get used to anything," Ankh said, far more worried about his former host than he was about himself now.  
  
"It's strange at first but if you're not a COMPLETE idiot you'll deal with ti," Scale said, shrugging. Then he suddenly looked up.  
  
"What is it?" Shadi asked.  
  
"I think… he's in the Shadow Realm," Scale said, not paying much attention to the surroundings, and with his eyes unfocused. "Looks like he's dumping your body. Probably doesn't want your smell to get even worse. Or anyone to find the body. It's lucky for you, fungus face."  
  
"How is that lucky?" Ankh wondered.  
  
"You idiot! Don't you know why the creatures of the Shadow Realm never get any older? Why the zombies never rot any more than they already have?" Scale said condescendingly. "The Shadow Realm preserves everything."  
  
"That's wonderful, then!" Ankh said, smiling in relief. "Your body will be fine and when we get out, everything will be all right." He sounded desperate to believe it.  
  
"I hope so," said Shadi. "If nothing eats it. Perhaps we will find a way out, but we should have a plan to disable or at least avoid Bobasa. We cannot use the Scales, and it would take a great deal to physically injure him…"  
  
"So then we're stuck here, aren't we?" Ankh asked quietly.  
  
"Ra damn those guardians! This is all their fault! My Osiris devour their souls for all ETERNITY!" Scale screamed, enraged.  
  
"You may as well calm down and accept things for the moment, Scale. It will save you a lot of stress," Shadi suggested, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them. Scale muttered some ancient curses.  
  
The three of them bided their time, not knowing when, or it, they would get their chance to escape. They did get used to it after a while. Luckily they didn't have to live with Bobasa really among them, or anyone else. But yes, an eternity with Scale IS a long time. Although it's just as long with anyone else, and could have been even longer alone.  
  
-  
-  
Endnotes: You have no idea how hard it was to even do that much to them. I was going to just let Shadi's body die, but I couldn't even bring myself to do that. Ending on a light note helped it seem a little better, though.  
Of course Ankh, Scale, and Shadi deserve most of the credit for this amazing story. And me, I suppose. But aside from the obvious, I want to thank all you great readers. ^_^ Especially the ones who've been reading since I started. Especially especially Seena and her yami, Chibi, who have been as good as another set of muses in the latter part of this story. Without them, I couldn't have quite seen Scale as human, and neither he nor Ankh would have had a past at all. So yes, I love you all and you rule. I never thought I'd get this many reviews for anything besides my Rants. ^_^  
I really hope you liked this! Keep writing more fanfics about Shadi (and Ankh and Scale!), because it makes me happy. ^_^ 


	31. Please Help!

Three-In-One Combo: The story that wouldn't die!!!  
  
Scale: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
-  
Ha, see? A whole chapter for author's notes. I saw this coming a mile away.  
  
*sigh* I can't leave it like THIS! Did you think I would? Ha, I did. Oh well, that shows how little I know. Though I think I traumatized a few of you for life. ^_^  
  
First of all: I obviously can't let this stop here. I have a vague idea of how I can get Shadi, Ankh, and Scale out of their situation, but I have writer's block as to the specifics of it. And I'm not sure how any of them can get out of Bobasa long enough to do it. Help, please!  
  
Secondly: As many of you kindly pointed out, this story has gone downhill as I'd feared. See!! See what happens when I can't find an ending!! If you could point out specific good and bad things for me, that would help infinitely in future writing. And, um… If anyone can think of ANY ideas for an ending besides something along the lines of "they lived happily ever after," it would definitely be appreciated. I CAN'T just let it go on eternally… It would just get worse! I can't let that happen. For the moment though, I'm going to take a little while off to let my inspiration build up.  
  
Third: I AM in the process of writing a prequel. It's going slowly though, and doesn't have much action yet. Can you think of anything little Shadi could do? I only have a couple of ideas so far… And I REALLY need more!! PLEASE! I BEG you!!! I also need to get back into more of the mindset I was in when I started writing, because anyone can see that Shadi, Ankh, and Scale have changed since then. I don't plan to bring any spirits in for a while, but Shadi needs to stay as aloof as possible…  
  
And: I also have writer's block for "The Cost of Weakness," for those of you who read the start of that, so don't expect much from it soon. I know what I want to do with it, but I'm not sure how to get into it yet. I'm in a bit of a writing slump right now. I can think of some stuff, but no real action… Do you think my muses are defective? *taps Ankh and Scale on the heads*  
  
Scale: Don't touch me, filthy mortal! *whacks Indigo*  
Ankh: I'm sorry… We haven't been feeling very inspired lately. Both of us are just feeling kind of… blah. Not quite sick, just a little off.  
Indigo: Are you guys okay? What do you think it is?  
Scale: Probably some energy-sucking thing that affects muses!  
  
Also: I'm always on the lookout for good insults. ^_^ I've been reusing the same ones too much!  
  
I'm not sure what happened to Shadi in the manga. It's still being made. But at the moment in Japan, Bobasa showed up and told Yugi and his group that Shadi sent him to help the Pharaoh recover his memories. And he had (and could use) the Ankh and Scales. I think eventually Shadi will show up again, but I really don't know. And I probably won't find out for a LONG time. Blah…  
  
Oh, I have another advertisement for you. Anime*Angel*Fox wrote a Scale/Mai romance called "Beauty and the Scale," so go look at it because the poor thing only has one review, and it's mine! That shouldn't happen! And I REALLY hope the other people writing multi-chapter fics about Ankh, Scale, or Shadi continue soon!! You keep me in such suspense! That means YOU! Chibigreen Tanuki, Crossover Authoress, Seena, and Jaid Skywalker (sorry if I forgot anyone)!!  
  
…So as you see, I will be continuing this. IF you people can help me. I know at least SOME of you have good ideas!  
  
Scale: Ha, not the ones who'll tell you anything, though! But that ought to get those lazy oafs to get up and do something!  
  
Hmm… Yeah, I think that's about all. I wanted to put something fun in here (like I did with the interlude that was chapter 17), but I don't even have the inspiration to think of something fun like that. Blah! Please help, I really need it! Thanks! ^_^ 


	32. Cord of the Shadow Realm

Author's Notes: See, I told you I'd continue! Sorry for scaring you like that and taking so long. Thanks for all your ideas, too. I really appreciate them! I got my inspiration back after a few of them. ^_^  
I'm writing the prequel, with little Shadi (aw!), but it may be a bit boring. Hopefully not, though! And I can't think of a title for it, so suggestions would be welcome.  
Aw, no, if Ankh and Shadi aren't defective, then neither is Scale. Heh, he even gets to be a hero for a while.  
Fire Pendant (and anyone else), you can use Shadi, Ankh, and Scale (though Shadi's not really mine to give). Just let me know when you put them in your story so I can see and advertise for you! On that same subject, go look at my profile to see what fanfics are already out there with Ankh, Scale, and Shadi in them. Because some of the really good ones have been updated lately!  
Ooh wow, now I'm getting close to 500 reviews! Eee, I'm so cool! ^_^  
  
Ankh: Hello! *smiles* Shadi and I won't be in this chapter much, but I just thought I'd tell you that Indigo still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Just me and Scale. In fact, she doesn't own Shadi either, so you don't have to ask her just to use him! Oh, and thank you so much for your great reviews, ideas, and support. ^_^  
  
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Three-In-One Combo!  
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""But yes, an eternity with Scale IS a long time. Although it's just as long with anyone else, and could have been longer alone.""  
  
Yes, an eternity in Bobasa awaited Shadi and his spirits. So far it had been almost two weeks and the neighbors were beginning to remember why they hadn't been getting any sleep. Bobasa didn't realize that using the Ankh to poke at peoples' minds would be beneficial to him. So he was very surprised to find an angry mob outside the door one morning.  
  
"Can I help you?" the large man asked, eyeing their sharp, pointy sticks.  
  
"If you don't shut up whatever's making all that noise every night, we're going to shut it for you!" an angry man with graying hair said.  
  
"Noise? What noise are you speaking of, sir? The nights here are incredibly peaceful," Bobasa said, smiling.  
  
"Get yourself a muffler, you freak!" someone shouted from the back. The rest of the crowd took up the cry and started closing in, down to their last bit of patience. Someone threw a stone at Bobasa, which bounced off his shoulder.  
  
Bobasa's eyes glinted dangerously. "You lie. And I will prove it." He reached up and took a small golden key from his tongue. He began to unlock his vest…  
  
********************************************************************************************************************************  
  
"I'd rather just kill him," Scale muttered.  
  
"But Scale, it's still not his fault…" Ankh pointed out. He suddenly looked up. "He's opening his vest."  
  
Shadi nodded. "Ankh, if he takes you out, you can put him to sleep long enough to enter his mind and change his personality. Or cut the very strings holding his mind together if you must. If it's you Scale, escape to the Shadow Realm and get help. Your power will not work on him and he will refuse any challenges. Do not let him do any damage with either of your Items."  
  
Scale gave an exasperated sigh, but then his eyes lit up in vengeful glee as he felt his Item being taken out. "Oh he'll get it now…" He vanished.  
  
"Scale, no!" Ankh cried. Then he sighed and looked at Shadi. "Do you think he has a chance?"  
  
"As much as any of us do, I suppose," Shadi said, though he looked slightly worried.  
  
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The neighbors stared in morbid horror as Bobasa opened his best and took the Scales out. But then there was a blinding flash of light. A dark silhouette appeared, and as the light faded, the townspeople were confronted with a demonic version of their calm, quiet neighbor, Shadi. The man wore red and black robes and had a look of sadistic glee in his narrow eyes.  
  
"Be gone, mortals!" an unearthly voice boomed as Senui laughed evilly. The townspeople stood there staring for a second before turning to run for their lives. Scale whipped around to face Bobasa, who was frowning darkly at him.  
  
"I will kill you," Scale hissed slowly, in a low voice.  
  
Bobasa's frown deepened. He lowered the Scales he had been brandishing and moved them toward his stomach. Before he replaced them though, Scale's eyes narrowed and he gripped his own Scales, and pulled himself into the Shadow Realm. Bobasa put the Scales back in their spot, but their spirit had already escaped.  
  
***********************************************************************************************************************  
  
Scale appeared in the Shadow Realm. "Heh, sucker…" he snickered. He looked around and started walking forward. After a short while, three small monsters approached him. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic launched itself onto his head with an excited squeak followed by a purr of perfect happiness. The Lucky Trinket looked around and gave a disappointed, slightly worried trill. The Penguin Soldier looked around and then looked down with a small, sad quack.  
  
"Oh get over it, you weaklings!" Scale spat. He quickly pulled the Ghost off of his head before it could dig its claws into his turban. He held it in both hands and looked back at the other two. "If you want to help those useless dung-eaters, you can start by finding my host's hideous body." The two monsters perked up a bit, especially the purple Penguin. They nodded and left with a trill and a squawk.  
  
"Now YOU." Scale glared down at the content little fiend trying to snuggle into him. "You're going to be useful for a change! Stay off and pay attention." He plunked the Ghost down on the ground where it sat quivering in excitement. "Do you know where the old guardians live, you roach?"  
  
The furry Ghost suddenly got completely still. Its eyes grew as it stared up at Scale. It gave a faint squeak and a shiver of fear, but it nervously bobbed up and down.  
  
"Finally, the puffball has a use." Scale smirked. "Take me to them."  
  
The Wretched Ghost's eyes nearly popped out of its head. It began shivering uncontrollably and scrunched its eyes shut.  
  
"What's your problem, pest?" Scale asked, eyes narrowed. He crouched down and poked the monster lightly. "What, you think they can hurt you? A weakling like you WOULD be afraid. It's not like I'm going to go right up to them and hand you over!" He grinned, then gave a short snort of laughter. "Ha, as if they'd want you anyway. Useless lint-ball… I'm going to ruin their plans and kill their precious creation. So take me there!"  
  
The Ghost blinked up at him. Its shivering slowly stopped. It quickly jumped into Scale's arms and snuggled into his chest with a weak purr, until he pushed it away again. It bobbed up and down in a nervous not, gave a short squeak, and hopped away to the left, looking back to see if Scale would follow. Scale stood up and walked after the fiend.  
  
After walking for a while, Scale's foot caught on something and he fell flat on his face. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic quickly hopped back and gave a concerned squeak. Scale growled and pushed it away, getting to his feet and looking around for whatever tripped him so he could kick it. Upon closer inspection, he found a thick, almost transparent cord floating about an inch off the ground.  
  
"Damn it to Osiris…" Scale muttered resentfully. "What in the Underworld is this?"  
  
The Wretched Ghost started squeaking excitedly and hopping from one side of the cord to the other.  
  
Scale stared at the fiend for a moment. "You know I have no idea what that means. Keep going."  
  
The Ghost purred and resumed its hopping pace. Scale noticed that they were following the cord he had tripped over, which was growing more visible as they went. Finally they crested a hill and looked down on a large crowd of people, mostly older men. The cord seemed to lead to the group, and closer to them it split into a few dozen thinner lines that seemed to come from some of the people.  
  
"What IS this thing?" Scale wondered out loud, looking at the cord.  
  
The Wretched Ghost squeaked quietly but urgently. It drew in a deep breath of air and puffed up as big as it could get. Then it hopped over and batted at the Scales, squeaking three times, slowly and clearly.  
  
Scale looked at the furry fiend, then bent down to sniff the cord. He quickly drew back in revulsion. "Oh disgusting. It smells like that huge oaf. So THIS is how they put thoughts in that big empty head…" He flicked it experimentally. "Or even if it's not, it's still some connection between those old dust-eaters and the blob." He grinned sadistically at the Ghost. "Let's destroy this, shall we?"  
  
The small monster gave a short squeak and purred, rubbing affectionately against Scale's hands. The spirit pulled away with a disgusted look. "Quit it, fur ball!" Scale looked over the hill again. "It'd be easier to cut through where it's thinner, but I can't get that close… I'll have to saw through it here." Scale took a small, toothed knife out of his robe and put it to the cord. The knife barely bit into the cord, so Scale pressed down and sawed with all his might. The teeth in the knife were the only reason it was cutting the cord at all. "Heh, times like this, I really wish I had the Rod. Its dagger could cut through this thing like air."  
  
The Wretched Ghost squeaked in interest.  
  
"Oh I'll get it. I'll get them all some day. They'll see." Scale kept sawing and didn't look up. "Then I'll have the power to rule over even the Pharaoh. And the High Priest. And that damn ambitious tomb robber…"  
  
The Ghost gave a questioning squeak.  
  
"Sure, him too I guess," Scale said, frowning vaguely. "He's not stupid enough to really oppose me. If he'd agree to help, I'd even make him my advisor or something. I'm no good at dealing with people. That's definitely more up the green-freak's alley."  
  
Over the hill, Scale started to hear some angry voices. He had cut through about half of the cord, and the guardians were beginning to notice and get annoyed.  
  
"Ah, crap. They'll come see what's wrong in a minute." Scale tried to saw through the tough cord faster. "Rrg… Help me, will you!?"  
  
The Wretched Ghost of the Attic quickly hopped over to stand across the cord from Senui. It placed its paws on either side of the knife and tried to pull the cord apart at the weak point with its sharp claws.  
  
"Damn," Scale fumed. "Damn, damn, damn… Curse them all, and may Set devour their souls… Can't you do any better than that!? They're coming!" The angry voices were indeed drawing nearer. The small Ghost squeaked and shivered, but pulled harder.  
  
"Move," a voice said commandingly. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic squeaked in fear and jumped into Scale's arms, knocking him back form the cord. It was a good thing too, because the next second, a long jagged sword struck the cord where he had been cutting. The cord snapped in two. Scale looked up to see a humanoid monster wearing red, with a horn coming out of his forehead, and blond hair. He had a long sword made of dragon fang strapped to his back, and held a huge jagged Sword of Dark Destruction in both hands. He was a D. Human. Behind him were two Darkfire Dragons, huge orange beasts made entirely of flames.  
  
"Come with me," the D. Human commanded. One of the dragons slithered over beside him and crouched, allowing him to swing up on its back. Scale stood up and stuck his knife back in his belt, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with you! What do you want with me?" Scale demanded. He dropped the Wretched Ghost of the Attic, but it hopped up to perch on his turban. The angry mob of ghostly guardians was coming closer. Looking over the ridge, Scale changed his mind. "How do I get on that thing?" He pointed to the second Darkfire Dragon.  
  
"She has her own job to do. Now come on!" The D. Human frowned and stretched out his hand to Scale. The second dragon lunged towards the advancing guardians, making them scatter and fall back. The beast dipped her head to snap up the severed cord, gulping it down with a snap of her jaws. She gave a roar like lamp oil hitting a fire and kept wolfing down the cord. As she pulled more of it into her mouth, the guardians it came from were dragged towards her too.  
  
"If you think I'm getting on THAT thing with YOU, you've got another thought coming, horn-head!" Scale glared at the warrior. The fiend on his head squeaked worriedly and dug its claws into his turban. The second flame-dragon was carefully clipping the lines of the cord from each guardian's ghostly Items, swallowing them one by one. When she had devoured all of that side of the cord, the dragon whirled around with a lash of her tail and started snapping up the other side of the cord. The guardians began to regroup and were advancing on Scale with murderous glares. The Ghost on his turban gave a soft squeak, then stretched up, still holding on to Scale's turban, and began squeaking loudly and angrily.  
  
Scale backed up only one step, his eyes narrowed. He brandished the Scales at the approaching crowd. "I hope Anubis shreds each one of your souls beyond recognition." He was about to judge the whole crowd and summon Anubis, which would take all of his energy but still be worth it, when strong, sharp claws gripped his torso and lifted him into the air. He frantically struggled and started screaming curses at the top of his lungs. The Wretched Ghost's squeaking took on a frightened note.  
  
The Darkfire Dragon carrying the D. Human and holding Scale launched herself into the air and slithered through it like a ribbon. The other dragon kept working her way down the cord, wolfing it down.  
  
They flew for a long time, with Scale struggling the whole way. The terrified fiend on his head was hanging on for dear life. Finally the dragon began to descend. She dropped Scale about a foot above the ground and settled down to earth beside him. The D. Human swung off of her back and went over to Scale, who was standing up, rubbing his back.  
  
"You should have ridden with me, Scale spirit. It would have been much more comfortable," the D. Human said, smiling slightly. Scale was about to start shouting at the warrior, but he heard an urgent trilling by his feet and felt something grab his robes. Looking down, he saw the Lucky Trinket and Penguin Soldier looking at him. The Penguin Soldier was nibbling on his robe.  
  
"Get OFF!" Scale yelled, delivering a sharp kick to the penguin, making it fall over. "That idiot lump may not care if his robe's ruined, but I do! And you were supposed to be looking for his body! Go find it NOW!" The Wretched Ghost gave a sad, worried purr.  
  
The Lucky Trinket trilled again and hopped over to the mouth of a cave that Scale hadn't noticed.  
  
"They HAVE found it. So why don't you give them a break," the D. Human suggested, frowning. "They've done well."  
  
Scale glared. "I'll do what I want, freak," he growled. Then he followed the two small monsters into the cave. He tried to pry the fiend off of his head, but it only let out a high squeak and dug its claws in deeper.  
  
They walked through the dark cave, with some sort of glowing fungus on the walls lighting their way. Finally they came to a large room lined with oddly-shaped stalactites and stalagmites. In the center of the room was a pillar of bright blue-green light, and in the pillar was Shadi's body. His eyes were closed peacefully, and robes floated gently around him.  
  
"Huh, so you weaklings can at least be SLIGHTLY useful…" Scale mused. He stuck his hand into the light but pulled back quickly. "Oh damn it to Set, that's freezing!" He glared and took out his Scales. As he stuck them into the pillar of light, it flickered and disappeared. Shadi's body fell on top of Scale, who gave a yell of protest. He quickly dropped the body to the ground. Although it no longer had Shadi's Items, it was still Scale's host body. He held the Scales, disappeared, and opened Shadi's eyes, blinking as he possessed his host's body once more. The Wretched Ghost of the Attic dropped as he entered Shadi's body, but quickly hopped over and rubbed against him. When he tried to push it away, it only hopped up on his head and settled down with its claws in his turban.  
  
Scale got up, brushing his robes off. "Disgusting… Dead mortal…" he muttered. The Scales now hung at the body's waist. He fingered the rip in the front of Shadi's robe that Bobasa had cut to get the Ankh. "How annoying…"  
  
Scale turned to the two monsters beside him. "Now get lost," he snarled. They gave happy trills and quacks, and left.  
  
"And you…" Scale muttered, glaring up at the furry fiend on his head. He reached up and tried to pull it off, but it dug its claws into his turban. "Relax," he commanded. The Ghost slowly complied, and Scale plucked it off to stare into its huge eyes. The two looked at each other for a moment before Scale tossed it lightly away. "Leave me alone, hairball," he muttered. Then he clutched his Scales and transported himself back to the living world in his host's body.  
  
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Endnote: Eh, that wasn't bad. Not the best chapter, but acceptable, I guess. What did you think? And please give suggestions for a title for my prequel when I get it posted. It's got Shadi when he was seven or eight, and Ankh and Scale are kind of there, but his father keeps them in line well, so Shadi hasn't met them yet. It'll be fun. I hope. And I guess after this I'll get Bobasa out of the way and just LET it end. *whacks the story* Die, you stupid thing! So it's still got at least a chapter or two to go… 


	33. Back to Normal?

Author's Notes: Nah, I don't think this will be the last chapter. At the very least, I'll do an epilogue to let you know what everyone's up to. We'll see! And… erm… I may be wrong, but this chapter doesn't seem to have much of a point. Hmm… Oh well, neither do I. ^_^ I probably won't be updating very often (do I really have enough chapters left to call ANYTHING 'often'?)  
Wow, you guys hate Bobasa even more than I do, if that's possible! If he weren't part of the story later on, I'd gladly kill him off… Sorry, I know it's disappointing. But surprisingly, Ankh will be the one who gets to hurt Bobasa.  
Ah, some good suggestions about names! I'll keep those in mind, thanks! ^_^ At the moment, Crossover Authoress's "Inheritance" fits the best. I think I'll so something with that.  
  
Wretched Ghost of the Attic: *squeaks quickly and repeatedly, then purrs happily* (translation: Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but she owns Scale! And Ankh and Shadi. And Scale! Isn't he the best?)  
  
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Three-In-One Combo!  
-  
  
As Scale appeared back in Shadi's house, he heard a loud, painful groan. It seemed to be mid-morning now, and Bobasa stood leaning against the wall, clutching his head in both hands. He didn't see Scale yet.  
  
Being in Shadi's body, Scale was in an advantageous position. "Blo - Bobasa!" he said firmly, trying to keep his voice calm and even like Shadi's. "Give me back my Items. Now!"  
  
"M…master Shadi!" Bobasa exclaimed, horrified. His vest was open and he immediately took out the Ankh and Scales, handing them to 'Shadi.' The Ankh glowed and Ankh appeared, staggering a little and blinking, disoriented.  
  
Scale slipped the Items into his belt. Ankh hardly noticed. He knelt down, rubbing and shaking his lowered head.  
  
"Take the lump's body, you useless weakling!" Scale ordered. He separated from Shadi's body, letting it fall on his startled fellow spirit, who quickly possessed the body before it fell on its face.  
  
"Do you have any IDEA what you've done, you bloated buffoon!?" Scale screamed, advancing on Bobasa, causing the large man to back up. "You nearly ruined the Balance, you planned to keep us in your disgusting… 'flesh safe,' and your precious 'Master Shadi' is STILL in there! It's your own fault! Don't you even have the sense to know when somebody's controlling you? It was so OBVIOUS! I should kill you for this!!" As Scale continued to yell, it became apparent that Bobasa not only had a massive headache, but was completely horrified at what he had done.  
  
"Scale, stop it," Ankh groaned. "That's not helping Shadi any." He slowly pulled himself to his feet. Shadi's body wobbled only slightly. "Here, I can do it. Take the body for a minute, though."  
  
"Oh you're SO lucky that we have to do this fast, maggot brain." Scale whirled around and stalked over to Ankh. "Fine, get out." He disappeared and took over Shadi's body.  
  
Ankh separated from Shadi's body and took the Ankh out of his host's belt. He walked over to Bobasa, who took a step back. "Please stay still," Ankh said, frowning slightly. "This will probably hurt a great deal. Just don't suck the Ankh into yourself." He used the Ankh's powers to make Bobasa want to obey.  
  
Scale lay down in Shadi's body and separated from it to go stand behind Ankh, glaring darkly. "I still don't see why we can't just kill the freak first…"  
  
"We'll see. Be quiet and let me concentrate." Ankh clasped his Item for a moment with his eyes shut. Then his eyes snapped open, almost glowing, frowning in concentration. He plunged the Ankh into Bobasa's flesh, careful to avoid the imprints of the Items. Being dull, it couldn't go in very far, but Ankh forced it in as far as he could. Bobasa gave a roar of pain, but he had his back against a wall and couldn't move. Using all his strength, Ankh pushed the Ankh around in a stirring motion. Bobasa tried to move to the side, but Scale glared and rammed the Scales into his thick arm.  
  
With one final jerk of his Item, Ankh pulled it out. He turned slightly, putting a hand up to the side to heal Bobasa a bit. The Ankh held most of his attention. It had a dark, smoky blue cloud of pure life force clinging to it and swirling around.  
  
"Scale, get Shadi's body up again. It'll settle more evenly that way. But don't possess him. His mind's in enough confusion, he doesn't need someone else in his head with him," Ankh said, carefully sliding his hand along the Ankh to pull the blue mist off of it, gathering it into a ball in his hands.  
  
Scale glared at Ankh resentfully, shot Bobasa a murderous look, and went over to Shadi's body again. He grabbed it under the arms and heaved it up. "You'd better hurry! I won't hold this lump here forever!"  
  
Ankh nodded and went over to Shadi's body. He slipped the Ankh into Shadi's belt and compacted the swirling ball of life force in his hands. Then he pushed it slowly into Shadi's forehead.  
  
Shadi opened his eyes, blinking over and over. Scale stepped away, causing his host to almost fall. Shadi staggered, seemingly unable to keep his legs straight or his feet under him. He made a strange, slightly pained sound in his throat as if he couldn't quite remember how to speak.  
  
Ankh quickly put an arm around his wobbling host and led him over to sit down against the wall. "Are you all right, Shadi?" he asked gently.  
  
Shadi continued to blink, and he gave his head a violent shake. He tried to focus on Ankh's face, but couldn't seem to quite make it out.  
  
"Oh if I have to put up with a BRAINDEAD lump now, I'll kill you so even the Millennium Items can't bring you back!!" Scale shouted at Bobasa. Shadi winced slightly at the sound. "You idiotic, bloated, jellyfish-brained PUPPET!!"  
  
"Scale, stop it!" Ankh said, getting up and frowning. "Shadi's mind kind of… diffused a bit. That's why it was swirling all over. Bit it'll settle into place again soon. He's just confused now. Why don't you sit with him and I'll deal with Bobasa. You're just hurting him by yelling." Ankh gave Scale a slightly disapproving frown.  
  
Ankh went over to finish healing Bobasa and explain what they thought had happened. He was careful not to mention Bobasa's… creation.  
  
Scale, meanwhile, stalked over and dropped down to sit near Shadi. "So, not a vegetable yet? You're still more lumpish than usual." He poked at Shadi's arm almost meditatively.  
  
Shadi blinked hard and seemed to really see Scale for the first time. "You…" he croaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Are you a friend of mine? But you look so similar to me… My brother? No, I don't think I have a brother… Are you my son?" He frowned. "No, you're not that young… And I have no children. Or do I?" He blinked hard. "My father spoke of a certain crazy uncle Ahmed. Is that who you are?"  
  
"Rrg… Shut it, you empty-headed baboon!" Scale shouted, giving Shadi a sharp whack across the head.  
  
Shadi blinked again, this time in recognition. "Scale," he muttered, frowning. "Please refrain from hitting me again."  
  
"Then you'd better 'refrain' from thinking I'm in your immediate family!" Scale glared at him. "And I'm NO ONE'S crazy uncle Ahmed!"  
  
"Of course not. I was merely disoriented," Shadi assured him.  
  
"Hmph, damn right you were, you gibbering lunatic…" Scale muttered.  
  
"Besides, I have never had a crazy uncle Senui," Shadi mused under his breath.  
  
"What was that, frog legs!?" hissed Scale.  
  
"Nothing at all," Shadi said coolly, getting to his feet with only mild dizziness.  
  
"…So it wasn't your fault, really. It was the former guardians. They tricked you into harming Shadi and us. Just don't trust them again." Ankh stretched up to point the Ankh at Bobasa's forehead. "It feels like something was ripped out of your mind…"  
  
"Well I could have told you that, sprout-head!" Scale said, rolling his eyes.  
  
Bobasa's eyes were wide in horror. "Master Shadi, I beg your forgiveness, though I do not deserve it! Please, I knew not what I did. I do not deserve to guard the Millennium Items…" He knelt before Shadi, bowing low and averting his eyes. "Please allow me to try to make amends for my horrible mistakes."  
  
Shadi took a deep breath. "It was not your fault. I cannot blame you. Even after what you have done, you would make a better guardian than most of those who controlled you. Your devotion to the Pharaoh is admirable. I could not hope to match it. It would be a shame to waste that…"  
  
"So are we going to burn him for fuel or something?" Scale asked with a nasty laugh.  
  
"Scale!" Ankh hissed, jabbing him with his elbow. Scale then proceeded to poke the green-glad healer repeatedly.  
  
Shadi raised an eyebrow at his spirits, but continued. "I have a task for you. The Pharaoh will soon gain all he needs to recover his memories. He will need help with it, though. You should go to Japan and assist him and his friends when he attains all of the God Cards. Tell him I sent you, and they should accept your assistance. Hopefully."  
  
Bobasa stood again, looking worried. "So… you can forgive me that easily? But how could I even hope to help him without any Items of my own?"  
  
"No, I do not quite forgive you. But I am willing to let it drop," Shadi said. "And I believe that the problem of the Items can be solved. Ankh, Scale, give me your Items," Shadi said, turning to his spirits, who had just stopped fighting.  
  
"You've got your own! Look in your belt, you moldy-brained ninny!" Scale exclaimed. Ankh frowned in confusion and nodded.  
  
"I hold the original Items," Shadi agreed. "But you two have your own… copies of them. And even if you are separated from them, you have them again when you go into THESE Items and come back."  
  
"Oh, I see!" Ankh said. "So if we give him ours, we won't be missing them. But… won't they just disappear from HIM when we go back to our soul rooms?"  
  
"Not if you do not wish them to," Shadi said. He heard Scale's complaint before it was even voiced. /And if he has the Ankh and Scale at his disposal, he will leave to watch over the Pharaoh in Japan. Think, wouldn't it be worth it?/  
  
Scale shot him a deadly glare. \\Oh it had better be. Because if it's not, I'm dropping you in the Shadow Realm with those cobweb-headed old guardians.\\  
  
Ankh and Scale grudgingly handed their Items to Shadi, who in turn gave them to Bobasa. Scale kicked Shadi before disappearing into his soul room, and Ankh smiled apologetically and followed suit. Bobasa looked uncertain, but he reluctantly put the second set of Items in his flesh safe. They glowed slightly around the edges and seemed to solidify.  
  
/Ankh? Scale? You're all right, I trust?/  
  
//It felt strange… It hurt a little for a second, but we're fine now.//  
  
\\…If you call having ANY kind of connection to that disgusting blob 'all right.'\\  
  
"You know how to use the transportation spell, do you not?" Shadi asked. He hoped that the ancient guardians had instilled at least that much knowledge in their creation.  
  
"Of course, master Shadi," Bobasa said, careful to bow slightly and cast his eyes down.  
  
"Ah, good. Why don't you go to Japan, then. The Pharaoh lives in Domino City. You should avoid being seen until he gains all of the God Cards, but then enter his mind, perhaps with his friends, and find his true name. That will open the door to his memories," Shadi said, rather eager to have the house mostly to himself again.  
  
"Yes, master Shadi," Bobasa said. He frowned slightly. "I apologize profusely for trapping you… and your servants."  
  
//Servants? Does he mean us?//  
  
\\SERVANTS!? How DARE he!? As if I'd be a lump's servant! Ha, don't get any ideas, yogurt-for-brains! If anything, you're MY servant!"  
  
"They are not really servants," Shadi said frowning slightly. "They are the Items' spirits and power-sources. And my companions, most of the time. But you should be on your way."  
  
"Of course, master Shadi," Bobasa said, bowing. "Thank you." He focused his energy into the Items in his flesh safe and sank into the floor with wide white ripples.  
  
Shadi sighed in relief and staggered over to sink down on his bed, leaning against the wall. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Ankh separated from his Item and crouched down beside his host.  
  
"Are you all right, Shadi?" Ankh asked worriedly.  
  
"Ah… yes… I think." Shadi opened his eyes slightly to look at the concerned spirit. "Just tired. And still a bit disoriented."  
  
The Scales glowed, and Scale appeared too. "By Thoth, that glob of hippo lard made this a pig sty… Clean this up, you buffoon!" he growled at Shadi.  
  
"Scale, leave Shadi alone," Ankh admonished. "Why don't you clean it yourself!"  
  
Scale went over and whacked Ankh, knocking his hat off. While Ankh picked it up and put it back on his head, Scale grasped his Item. The dust, blood, sweat, food, and other grime on the floor slowly vanished. "The clutter's your problem, freaks." He kicked an empty can across the floor.  
  
"You know Scale, I am quite impressed. You managed to break their control over him on your own? You did it in the Shadow Realm, I assume?" Shadi asked, turning to Scale.  
  
"Ha, yes I did! See, I'm far more useful than THAT loser," Scale smirked, giving Ankh a light kick.  
  
"Perhaps I don't give you enough credit, Scale," Shadi conceded.  
  
"…Yeah, I'm the greatest, and you should both bow to me! And hand over the Ankh! And if you join me now, you can be there when I rule the world!" Scale began ranting.  
  
"Please don't become a megalomaniac right now Scale, I cannot deal with it at the moment…" Shadi moaned.  
  
"Oh shut up, lump," Scale snorted. "The great blob of bloated doom's gone. Lay off for once! Why shouldn't I make my plans for the future?"  
  
"He will probably return after he guides the Pharaoh to his memories," Shadi sighed tiredly.  
  
"Then I can tell him just where he can shove his ugly head," Scale said, grinning darkly.  
  
Ankh looked like he was going to reproach Scale, but he just looked down, nodding sadly. "I wish we didn't have to worry about all of this any more…"  
  
"If he should return, I will ask him to continue keeping CLOSE watch over the Pharaoh. Or I may consider sending him to guard the tombs. The tomb guardians should not be burdened with that for all of eternity. Malik Ishtar has had enough of it, obviously," Shadi sighed, as if he sympathized completely.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right, Shadi?" Ankh asked, frowning in concern.  
  
"I'm tired. And dizzy. But quite relieved to have my body back." He shot a mildly grateful glance at Scale. "I don't see how you two manage."  
  
Ankh grinned. "It DOES take some getting used to, I guess."  
  
"Indeed. Well, I'm glad I won't have to get used to it," Shadi said.  
  
"Um… Do you need anything, Shadi?" Ankh asked, seeing that his host was still blinking hard and shaking his head slightly.  
  
"Ah… I think so, but I cannot put my finger on what…" Shadi gave Ankh a slightly worried look.  
  
Ankh nodded. "Don't worry, you'll be back to normal after you've had some rest. Do you want me to put a sleep spell on you?"  
  
Shadi's clouded expression cleared slightly in relief. "Yes. Thank you."  
  
"Hey, if he stays this clueless, I'll be able to win the Ankh from him without even trying!" Scale said with an almost bright smile.  
  
Ankh rolled his eyes. "Scale, leave Shadi alone." He raised a hand to Shadi's forehead and set a very light sleep spell on him. Shadi fell to the side and was asleep instantly. "What do you think we should do with Bobasa's stuff, Scale?"  
  
"Are you kidding!?" Scale exclaimed. "That big oaf's been sleeping on them for a while now! They're probably as flat as papyrus by now…"  
  
Ankh grinned. "I'll bet you're right. We should get rid of them." His eyes widened. "Oh, and I should probably go reassure the neighbors! You don't want to come, do you? I probably won't even be talking to them, just putting the idea in their heads that they'll be able to sleep from now on, and they have been before too."  
  
"Hm, wiping their memories or something like that? Sure, might be fun. And maybe I can swipe some of their chocolate!"  
  
Ankh laughed. "You havve a one-track mind…"  
  
"Tch, I just have my priorities straight, unlike YOU," Scale said, rolling his eyes. "Power and chocolate are important. What else matters?"  
  
"Well, maybe," said Ankh, his eyes shining with repressed giggles. "Should we go, then?"  
  
"I guess so," Scale said with a a disgusted snort. "If we don't go soon, I'd probably find you collapsed in an alley because you were stupid enough to use up your last bit of energy." Ankh looked at him questioningly and he quickly continued. "And you can't be useful to me if you're unconscious, you insignificant gnat!"  
  
"Okay Scale," Ankh said, grinning tiredly. He went to the other room and dragged out Bobasa's two flattened mattresses. "Take one of these, would you? We can take them to the dump while we're out that way."  
  
"Why should I!?" Scale demanded.  
  
"Because if you don't, it will take twice as long?" Ankh suggested with a slightly lopsided smile.  
  
"Rrg… I hate you, you know. Give me that, lobster-legs."  
  
"Of course… mosquito-nose."  
  
"… …WHAT?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought…"  
  
"No, you didn't! You couldn't insult… a loaf of bread! Give it up, you sickening dead fish! I'll kill you!"  
  
"But I'm not even alive…"  
  
"Oh shut up."  
  
-  
Endnote: Eh, that'll do. I'll have an epilogue… some time. I guess there WAS a point to this chapter, but after I got to that, it kind of just meandered around without much to do. So… what did you think? Any good? Are you more satisfied with this as an ending, if I go and wrap up loose ends later? I hope so… And I'll work on the prequel next, but you'll have a while to wait for it! 


	34. Epilogue

Author's Notes: Okay, I really think this is the end this time! I had grand plans for this epilogue, but it kind of took a different direction… It stretches out the time line too, but oh well. Ankh told me he needed to do some things, so I let him. And I'm glad I did, because he's good at tying up a lot of the loose ends I leave. Seth comes back to be a complete jerk, but then he never was the nicest person. But if this chapter seems more than you want from the story, then consider the last chapter the ending, and thanks for reading! You people are all great! ^_^  
Just like the Millennium Items, I'm using the God Cards' Japanese names. But only one is in here, and you'll know what I'm talking about!  
Yay, I'll get over 500 reviews with this chapter! ^_^ Unless you all decide to conspire against me and not review at all! But anyway, I'm really glad you've liked this story and my dear, wonderful Ankh and Scale. And certain fun lines. ^_^ But don't call Bobasa a lump, that's Shadi's title!   
  
-  
Indigo: At long last, I DO own Yu-Gi-Oh! MWAHAHAHAHA!!! …Er, well, I own a set of badly subtitled DVDs, anyway. And I think one of them doesn't work. *sigh* But I still own them! And more importantly, I own Ankh and Scale! ^_^  
  
-  
Three-In-One Combo: By Ra, is this the end!?  
-  
  
Things returned to normal shortly after that, or as normal as they could be for the guardian of ancient powers and two ancient spirits. As soon as they all had their energy back, Shadi and Scale developed a barrier to keep all the dead guardians and their influence trapped in their corner of the Shadow Realm. This would also restrict Shadi's power when he joined them in death, but he knew it was for the best.  
  
Ankh had taken up an interest in the events going on in Japan. There was little he could do, but he watched closely, sometimes even traveling there himself to see what was happening. He was lucky enough one day to see Isis dueling with the Rod spirit's reincarnation, Seto Kaiba. Malik stood nearby, holding the Rod. Ankh made sure he would remain unseen and stepped closer.  
  
//Seth…?//  
  
\Ankhkare! Look who Isis is dueling! That's Seto Kaiba, my reincarnation!\  
  
//She seems very confident that she'll win.//  
  
\Oh she does, does she? She's the one who gave him his God Card! She shouldn't be so sure of herself!\  
  
//Apparently she was only letting him borrow the God of the Obelisk card. She believes she can win it back, because he doesn't see how he can win…//  
  
Seth mentally shook his head. \He doesn't realize that the strongest creatures aren't always the best. Does he have no trust in his dragons? In MY dragons!?\  
  
Ankh laughed softly. //He reminds me of you, before you learned to respect your monsters.//  
  
\Watch it, Ankhkare… Damn that arrogant, pig-headed bastard! He needs to learn his place… But not now. …OBELISK, Ankhkare! Just look at it!A god's power practically in my hands!\  
  
//…He's about to lose it, though.//  
  
\Not if I have anything to say about it. I'll make him win!\  
  
//But how? You can't interfere --//  
  
\I won't have to. I'll just show him what to do. Ankhkare, I have a memory to show him. Can you make him see it?\  
  
//…I guess so. But what… THAT? Who is she? What on earth are you doing?//  
  
\I asked you to help me, not question me! Do it!\  
  
Ankhkare nodded nervously and burned the former high priest's memory into his mind. The Rod began to glow. Malik – whose spiky-haired dark side had overcome him again – gave a cry of disgruntled surprise, though everyone else was too intent on the duel to pay attention. Ankhkare quickly redirected the memory into the mind of Seto Kaiba.  
  
The young CEO had been about to end his turn and admit defeat, but he gasped as the vision overtook him. Once again he beheld the priest who looked so much like him. This time he held a beautiful woman in his arms. And bending down to take her was… a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. A real one, not a hologram. The great beast delicately took the unconscious human offering in its powerful jaws and swallowed her in one gulp. It roared as strength glowed in its veins. The priest raised his arms to it in triumph, but his face was contorted in anguish.  
  
The vision ended, leaving Kaiba gasping at the suddenness and intensity of what he had seen. But he knew now what he had to do. He had to offer the power he held dear to achieve his goal.  
  
"End your turn and meet your destiny, Seto Kaiba," Isis said in a flat, commanding voice.  
  
"We'll see about that." He smirked. "I sacrifice the God of the Obelisk…" Isis's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't foreseen this! "…to summon my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" The mighty god's image crackled and dissipated, one of Kaiba's three great dragons rising form the smoke It glowed with power and roared menacingly. Isis could only stand by in shock as it blasted her life points away.  
  
"You'll never get the god's power back," sneered Kaiba.  
  
//He'll keep it now… at least for a while.//  
  
\I know.\  
  
//…Are you still going to try to go to him?//  
  
\... …No…\ Seth sighed. \Not yet, anyway…\  
  
//But you wanted it so badly!//  
  
\Look at him Ankhkare, he's an arrogant pig! He shouldn't have the Rod's power until he learns to stop being so power-hungry.\  
  
//So then you'll start helping Malik? Or at least acknowledge his existence?//  
  
\No, I'll continue on as I have. I have no interest in a renegade tomb guardian.\  
  
//He's only trying to end three millennia of suffering. He thinks this is the right way, and he may even be right… If anything, the Pharaoh can't change what he doesn't know is wrong. But Seth, you can't blame him for what his dark side does. It's not his fault.//  
  
\You're under the mistaken impression that I care. If you're so concerned, go seal the psycho's psycho away yourself!\  
  
Ankhkare frowned. He reached out to Malik's mind, but was completely blocked by the strongest mental barrier he had ever encountered. It radiated evil, making the Ankh's spirit pull away.  
  
\Well?\ Seth asked with a short laugh. \Aren't you going to help him?\  
  
//I can't… That mental barrier's so strong… I could probably get in with the Ankh, but I don't think I'd have any strength left over.//  
  
\That thing's gone as far as he can to keep everything out.\ Seth agreed. \One of these days the spirit will kick the host out of his own body.\  
  
Ankh glared at him. //Have you always been like this?//  
  
Seth glared back. \Yes, so deal with it. I understand that you'd like everyone to be happy, but there's nothing either of us can do.\  
  
Ankhkare gave Malik one last look before turning away. He felt Bobasa's presence, but ignored it. Instead he turned to Isis, walking over and gently putting a hand on her back.  
  
"Ankh!" Isis exclaimed, startled at the still nearly invisible spirit. "What are you doing here? Is Shadi nearby?"  
  
"Ah… no, I'm sorry. It's only me. I've just been watching things…"  
  
"Then you saw… The Tauk no longer responds to me. I am no longer worthy of its power…" Isis looked down in shame.  
  
"Isis… It's not because of you. You know that other Millennium Items can change the Tauk's visions." Ankh gave what he hoped was a comforting smile.  
  
Isis swallowed and stood determinedly, her gaze on the Pharaoh, who was talking to Kaiba. "Thank you Ankh, but I think the time has come for a change. I've worked all my life to help the Pharaoh, and perhaps now I can actually do something for him." She reached behind her neck and undid the clasp on her Tauk.  
  
"What are you doing?" Ankh asked, frowning in concern.  
  
"Something I probably should have done before now," Isis said. She turned to Ankh for a moment. "Ankh, I'm sure Shadi will sense this if he has not already. Please tell him not to worry, because this is the right choice."  
  
Ankh looked worried, but nodded reluctantly.  
  
"Thank you," Isis said with a small smile. She took off her Tauk and walked over to the Pharaoh, bowing to him. Ankh couldn't hear what they said, but he saw Isis hold the Tauk out to Yugi. The ancient Pharaoh paused in surprise, but hesitantly took the shining necklace. He smiled gratefully. Isis returned his smile shakily.  
  
Ankh sighed, unsure of what to think of this turn of events. He turned back to look at Malik once more. He could see the boy's spirit stretching and straining to get out, to remain separate from his dark side. But he couldn't get a hold on anything, so he kept slipping back into his own head. Ankh silently crept behind the Rod-bearer, repressing his life force to avoid being sensed. As the boy's spirit pulled away from his body again, Ankh grabbed on and pulled him out. He gave a vague, reassuring smile to the confused, worn out boy, and looked closely at the air between the mortal's spirit and his body. After a minute, he grabbed something only he could see and snapped it in two. Both Malik and his dark side flinched. Ankh quickly healed both sides of the broken connection shut.  
  
//That will separate you, but you should probably stay with your body anyway. I'm sorry, that's all I can do!// Ankh quickly sank into the floor before Malik's darkness could do something horrible to him.  
  
He rose up again in a dark, nearly empty room on the same air-ship. Ryou Bakura lay in the bed in the middle of the room. There was a bandage around his arm, but that didn't look like the main thing that was wrong with him. He looked completely exhausted, but smiled in recognition at the green-clad spirit.  
  
"Ankh-san? Did you and the others come about the Millennium Items again?" he asked, sounding tired but fairly cheerful.  
  
"Ah… well not really. The Tauk and Rod have probably caused enough disturbance today to bring Shadi here in a second, but he'd have a hard time coming without me. But I only meant to come here to watch the duels. Even though I ended up doing a bit more… I was about to go home, but I wanted to see how you were first. I sensed you around here, but you seem so weak… What happened? Is Bakura treating you better?"  
  
Ryou smiled. "Bakura-san was dueling Yugi-kun. He was about to lose, and he… was forced to put me out so that Yugi-kun wouldn't attack his life points… But Bakura-san wasn't sure that Yugi-kun would stop, so he took over again and took the attack for me…" He smiled. "I didn't see it before, but he really doesn't want me getting hurt." His eyes glazed over and his smile faltered a bit. "Well he's still got other plans, but he's not as bad as Yugi-kun thought. Or as bad as I thought." He gave a small, embarrassed smile.  
  
Ankh smiles back. "I'm glad."  
  
Ryou's eyes suddenly narrowed and his hair's spikes stood up more. Bakura frowned at Ankh. "Your mortal host had better stay out of my mind, healer. And if I ever see your treacherous friend in the Scales again, I may have to kill him! The same goes for you if you get in my way."  
  
"Er… All right. I'm glad you're getting along with your host better." Ankh smiled slightly.  
  
"Are you going to stand there being useless or are you going to heal my host body?" Bakura growled. "That's what you do, isn't it?"  
  
"Ah, yes! Of course!" Ankh moved to Bakura's left side and put his hands over the wound on Ryou's arm. It was deep but clean. Ankh had put some extra energy into Ryou and had almost completely healed the wound when Bakura pushed him away.  
  
"That's enough. I don't want it to look like it was never there."  
  
"Oh the doctors would wonder. You're right." Ankh nodded.  
  
"…Among other reasons. Now if you don't mind, this weakling's body needs rest!" Bakura glared at Ankh. "Shadow Games wear on a mortal's endurance."  
  
"Of course! I'm glad I could help. Goodbye!" Ankh smiled slightly and sank into the floor once more…  
  
…Only to have sand thrown at him as he rose up in Shadi's house.  
  
"What have you been doing, worm?' Scale sneered.  
  
"Hi Scale. I just went to visit the other Item holders for a while… Er, the Ring's spirit says that he may kill you if he ever sees you again."  
  
"Hmph, as if he could… Stupid upstart tomb robber!"  
  
"Well at least he's thinking of you..." Ankh gave a lopsided smile.  
  
"I don't WANT anyone thinking of me! Especially not some grave-robbing lunatic!"  
  
"Ah Ankh, you're back," Shadi said, coming into the room. "Another Item has changed hands. I am sure you sensed it as well. We should go…" he trailed off at Ankh's look. "What is it?"  
  
Ankh sighed. "Isis was dueling Seto Kaiba, Seth's reincarnation, to win the God of the Obelisk card back from him. Her Tauk told her she would win, but Seth had me send Kaiba a vision from his memory, telling him how to win. Kaiba did it, and Isis lost faith in her ability to use the Tauk… She gave it to the Pharaoh."  
  
"WHAT!?" Scale shrieked. "And you didn't stop her? As if the Pharaoh needs any more power than he has!"  
  
"I tried!" Ankh protested. "She… really thinks it was the right thing to do." He looked at Shadi. "She said to tell you not to worry, because it was the right choice…"  
  
Emotions warred silently behind Shadi's blank blue eyes, which looked even more expressionless than usual. Then he sighed. "The Items all grow closer to the Pharaoh with every passing day… I had hoped that his revival might not be in my lifetime, but it seems unavoidable. This may complicate our future."  
  
"I'm sorry Shadi. I should have tried harder to stop her," Ankh said apologetically.  
  
"Hmph, damn right you should have…" muttered Scale.  
  
"No Ankh, you are not to blame for it. Fate will take its course. Even the Items can do little to change that."  
  
"…So you'll just give our Items to the Pharaoh when the time comes, is that it?" Scale asked, every word laced with hatred and quiet rage.  
  
Shadi frowned. "Have a bit of faith, Scale. If Bobasa wishes to give his copies of your Items to the Pharaoh, he may do so. It is my duty to guard the Items before the Pharaoh. I merely serve him when Fate dictates. But I believe that if he is to regain his status, he will have to do so without the powers of the Ankh and Scales, life and death. The only things he really needs are the Puzzle and the God Cards. And I somehow doubt that he will get the Ring, Eye, or Rod without a struggle either."  
  
"Ha, and if you tried to give us over to that idiotic shrimp, I'd kill you! Remember that, lump!" Scale said with a rather twisted smile.  
  
"Thank you so much,Shadi…" Ankh said softly, grinning in complete happiness.  
  
"…Well in any case, I suppose we are saved from a trip to Japan," Shadi said, slightly embarrassed at his spirits' gratitude. "How was the weather there, Ankh?"  
  
"It seemed cold. And very windy," Ankh answered.  
  
Scale rolled his eyes. "That's because you were on top of a BLIMP, reed-brain…"  
  
"I will go to visit Isis, and possibly Pegasus, some time. Perhaps in the spring, though." Shadi shivered slightly at the thought of the harsh winters of Japan.  
  
"Yeah, let's go see the Eye's old host again some time!" Scale said, almost enthusiastically.  
  
Both Shadi and Ankh's jaws dropped as they stared at Scale with wide eyes. "Scale…" Ankh finally managed to say slowly. "Did you just… ASK to be around someone!?"  
  
Scale glared and whacked the other spirit on the head. "If you REMEMBER, that's one rich mortal! Think of all the expensive chocolate he'd have…" He stared off into space, an almost blissful smile on his face.  
  
"I may have to tell him to eat all of his chocolate before we come, then…" Shadi said, with a glint of laughter in his eyes.  
  
Scale's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't…"  
  
Shadi smiled slightly. "No, though it would be amusing… Ankh, did you happen to see Bobasa there?"  
  
"He was watching, using the Ankh to suppress his life force. But I didn't want him to see me."  
  
"Ah. A good idea, I suspect." Shadi nodded. "Well then, until the Pharaoh comes back to power, hopefully we will have very little to worry about."  
  
"Yeah, and how long's that going to take? A week or two?" Scale snorted in disgust.  
  
"Perhaps. And who knows how the world will change after that. So we may want to make the best of our time."  
  
"…So we can spend all your money on chocolate? Because we might not need it after this…"  
  
"No."  
  
"Rrg… go jump in the Pharaoh's tomb, you worthless lump!"  
  
Ankh tried to cover a laugh.  
  
"AND you, grass face! And don't you DARE try to insult me again!"  
  
"I said I was sorry about that…"  
  
"Ankh? You insulted Scale? I am surprised. Perhaps even impressed."  
  
"I just thought he'd like it…"  
  
"Your desire to please everyone may be admirable, but you are not likely to succeed here…"  
  
"I know. But I try anyway."  
  
"And you fail! You useless, brainless twit!"  
  
Ankh sighed. "All right Scale… And I know, I can't insult you any more than you can compliment me…"  
  
"Are you saying that I'm incapable of such a simple thing!? Don't bring me down to your level… You… you… Rrg… Well then, ANKH… Or do you prefer ANKHKARE?" Scale gave a mock-bow, sarcasm biting at his words. "You're USEFUL… NICE… And a great, wonderful person. What a good FRIEND you are! Are you quite HAPPY now!?"  
  
"…Scale… That must be the nicest thing I've ever heard from you! Thank you so much!"  
  
"Grr… I TOLD you, that just proves that I CAN! Don't get used to it or anything, you moronic pudding-brained… NIMROD! And STOP LAUGHING!"  
  
"Ha… I'm sorry Scale… I'm not laughing AT you…"  
  
"Tch, that 'laughing with you' crap? Quit it. Or I'll send the Wretched Ghost of the Attic to tear up your hat!"  
  
"…You wouldn't. Would you?"  
  
"I would! I'm not a waffle-headed loser like our host!"  
  
"…Thank you Scale, I appreciate it so…"  
  
"Yeah, shut up."  
  
-  
Endnote: *breathes a huge sigh of relief* It's OVER! Finally! And I loved every second of it! ^_^ My reviewers rule, as always. I'd like to thank not only my favorites, who have given me many long reviews and lots of help, but also that one stupid little person who reviewed the first chapter just to tell me that Shadi has "the key, not a ankh!!!" Yes well, as refreshing as such ignorance can be, that person obviously didn't even read the first author note, much less any of the story. But flamelets are fun, nonetheless. ^_^ Somehow between then and now I've become famous! Gah, how did that happen? People who've never even reviewed know me! *glances around suspiciously* Scary…  
Please, if anyone wants to put Ankh and/or Scale into a fanfic or fanart, I'd LOVE to see it! Just let me know so I can grin at it and perhaps advertise fanfiction on my bio page and put fanart on my website.  
If you liked this story, go look at some of my others! *grins* I promise they're good too! And I have two chapters of my nice little prequel written, waiting to be typed. Eep, I'll get to that some time! Soon, I hope! It does feature chibi Shadi as the main character, but it's not really funny… Well, parts are, but nowhere near as funny as this started out. ^_^ I think it'll be mainly drama, maybe even deviating into angst sometimes. As usual, all ideas are appreciated. And my writer's block for "The Cost of Weakness" has grown enormous, but hopefully I'll be able to continue that SOME day!  
Erm… Yeah. Hope to see you all again when I get around to typing the prequel! Look for something about "Inheritance"! Or inheriting, or something of the sort. We'll see!  
Now when you're all done reading this, and while you're waiting for me to start typing the prequel, go read some other peoples' stories with Ankh, Scale, and Shadi! See who can write them well and who's a poor deluded fool. ^_^ Ah, and since no one asked for anything from the contest, none of you gets anything except my undying gratitude. But I'll see if I can recognize some amazing talent anyway…  
  
First of all, the funniest fic by far was "My Sweet" by Unrealistic (under Yami-chan's name). It still makes me laugh, even after reading it about twenty times. ^_^  
On the other end of the Scale (pun intended), "Portrait of Pain," by Seena, is quite unfinished, but it wins the award for Shadi angst. That's hard to do, I'll have you know!  
The most ambitious one was "Aishiteru" by Jaid Skywalker, because it may not have focused solely on Shadi/Isis, but it was updated frequently and even has a sequel in the works! It's called "Sands of Time." Not to mention that they're both very well-written!  
I'm torn between two favorites, I think… Chibigreen Tanuki, if only you updated more often, I think "A Place Lit By Sunlight" would win hands down. But I know how writer's block is… So Crossover Authoress's "Stolen Souls" goes about even with it, even if Scale's just a tad too mushy too fast.  
There are other stories, and they're good too. I appreciate the effort. And perhaps if they were updated a bit more, they could achieve such greatness too after a while. But these are the best, and if you want more coolness, go read them! And review, because I command it! These GREAT writers were nice enough to write such wonderful works, and the least you ungrateful slimes can do is give them a review or two!  
Eep, sorry, Scale comes out in me sometimes… ^_^  
  
…And I'll shut up now before I need a whole new chapter for notes again. ^_^ 


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